Open AccessDiagnostic usefulness of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in suspected pulmonary embolism
Author(s) -
Serdar Berk,
Ömer Tamer Doğan,
Eylem Itır Aydemir,
Aslı Bingöl,
Sefa Levent Özşahin,
İbrahim Akkurt
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
multidisciplinary respiratory medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.72
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 2049-6958
pISSN - 1828-695X
DOI - 10.4081/mrm.2013.548
Subject(s) - medicine , pulmonary embolism , pregnancy associated plasma protein a , radiology , differential diagnosis , pregnancy , pulmonary angiography , thorax (insect anatomy) , angiography , cardiothoracic surgery , pathology , surgery , gestation , first trimester , anatomy , biology , genetics
Background: The role of biomarkers for prognostication and diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) is increasing. It has been reported that pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) can be used as a proatherosclerotic marker. The present study was aimed to evaluate whether PAPP-A levels are helpful in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with suspected PE. Methods: 53 consecutive patients evaluated for suspected PE were prospectively enrolled in the study. Serum PAPP-A levels were measured in the blood samples which were taken at admission. Multi-slice computed tomographic angiography was used to verify the diagnosis of PE. Results: PE was detected in 24 out of the 53 patients, while it was excluded in 29 patients by thorax multi-detector computerized tomography scan. No significant difference was detected in mean serum PAPP-A level between groups (5.72 ± 0.31 mg/L vs. 5.67 ± 0.06 mg/L, respectively). Conclusions: Serum PAPP-A level has no role in the evaluation for PE.