Background: The prevalence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) is highly controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the epidemiology and characteristics of PE with AE-COPD for current studies.
Methods: We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases for studies published prior to October 21, 2020.