Evaluation of Elevated Serum Apelin-13 and D-dimer Concentrations in Individuals Diagnosed with Pulmonary Embolism

Abstract

Abstract Background: Given the limited specificity of D-dimer, there is a perceived need to discover a more precise marker for diagnosing individuals who are suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE). In this study, by Evaluating the increase in the serum level of Apelin-13 and D-dimer, we found valuable findings about Apelin-13, which can be suggested as an auxiliary and non-invasive diagnostic biomarker in individuals with suspected PE, based on the obtained results. Methods: In this case-control study, 52 Iranian individuals with a suspicion of pulmonary embolism, were included and then were separated into two groups based on CT angiography results serving as the gold standard imaging method for diagnosing PE: patients with and without PE. Finally, the serum levels of these markers were compared in these two groups. Results: The mean serum D-dimer levels in patients with PE were significantly elevated (p<0.001) in comparison to those without PE (1102.47 to 456.2 ng/ml). Furthermore, the mean level of Apelin-13 was significantly higher in patients with PE (49.8 to 73.11 ng/L) (p <0.001). The cutoff point of Apelin-13 has been calculated 58.50 ng/ml, with 90.9% sensitivity and 90% specificity. The D-dimer cutoff point was 500 ng/ml, with 95.5% sensitivity and 43.3% specificity. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the serum level of Apelin-13 can be used as novel diagnostic and screening biomarker in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism Keywords: Pulmonary embolism, Thromboembolism, Apelin-13, D-dimer.