Objective To analyze the risk factors and clinical characteristics of patients in Uyghur and Han nationalities with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), who were hospitalized in past 7 years in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, so as to investigate differences of risk factors between two nationalities. Methods Through retrospective study, clinical characteristics of PTE patients hospitalized from 2004 to 2010 were analyzed. T-test and chi-square test were used to conduct statistic analysis. Results a) A total of 516 patients (mean age 58.7±14.8 years old) with complete clinical materials were included, of whom 360 were Han nationality (69.8%, mean age 63.5±15.5 years old) and 156 were Uyghur nationality (30.2%, mean age 52.8±14.3 years old). In Han nationality, the peak age of PTE onset was above 70 years of age, while in Uyghur nationality it was 60 to 69 years of age; b) No significant difference was found in the clinical characteristics between the two nationalities; and c) The commonly acquired risk factors for PET patients in both nationalities possibly were age at or over 40 years old, obesity, embolism history and hyperlipidemia. The main risk factor of PTE was obesity in Uyghur nationality, while that was smoking in Han nationality. Conclusion The most common acquired risk factors and basic diseases of PTE patients are probably the age at or over 40 years old, obesity, embolism history and hyperlipidemia, and obesity is commonly seen in Uyghur nationality. A large number of further case-control studies are needed to further confirm this conclusion.