Improved Mortality Risk Stratification in Normotensive Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism Using Heart-Type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein

Abstract

We performed a prospective, observational study on consecutive non-high-risk patients with APE in order to assess the prognostic value of laboratory markers, including the novel heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), for predicting a composite end point of 30-day mortality or hemodynamic collapse. A total of 61 patients were included and H-FABP was significantly higher in the composite end-point group (9.303 vs. 4.761, p=0.046) and proved to identify more accurately patients at increased risk. Keywords: Pulmonary embolism, heart type fatty acid binding protein, risk assessment