title: Diagnostic usefulness of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in suspected pulmonary embolism.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Medical Faculty of Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey. serdar.berk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Omer Tamer
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Eylem Itir
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Aydemir
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bingol
authors.forename: Sefa Levent
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ozsahin
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Akkurt
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