title: Serum Apelin 13 Levels in Patients With Pulmonary Embolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Expression and peptide immunoreactivity of apelin messenger RNA have been described in a variety of tissues, including gastrointestinal tract, adipose tissue, brain, kidney, liver, cardiovascular system, and lungs. This study aimed to investigate the possible involvement of the endogenous apelin in the pathophysiological events that occur in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE).
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 53 patients with PE and 35 healthy volunteers were included the study. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital and among patients diagnosed as having PE. The control group consisted of healthy volunteers who applied to hospital for a routine checkup examination. Serum apelin 13 levels were measured in both the groups and their results were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median ages were 57 and 53 years, and female-male ratios were 30/23 and 20/15, in the PE and control groups, respectively. The mean serum apelin 13 levels were found to be significantly higher in the PE group (76.94 ± 10.70 ng/mL) than in the control group (50.01 ± 7.13 ng/mL; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that apelin 13 levels are elevated in patients with PE. These results suggest that apelin may be a novel biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in patients with acute PE in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey dr.haticesen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hadice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Selimoglu Şen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Abakay
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cengizhan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sezgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Süreyya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahsuk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdurrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abakay
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah Çetin
authors.initials: AÇ
authors.lastname: Tanrikulu
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C495199:apelin-13 peptide
keywords: adipokines; apelin 13; pulmonary embolism