ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Various biomarkers have been evaluated to risk stratify patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We aimed to summarize the available evidence to compare the prognostic value of three most widely studied biomarkers in normotensive patients with acute PE. METHOD: A systematic literature review of database, including Pubmed, EMBASE and Cochrane, was done. Studies were included if those were done on patients with acute PE and serum troponin or brain natriuretic peptide and N-terminal proBNP (BNP/NT-proBNP) or Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) assay was done. The primary end point was short-term all-cause mortality. The secondary end points were PE-related mortality and serious adverse events. RESULTS: All three biomarkers were significantly associated with increased risk for short-term all-cause mortality, PE-related mortality and serious adverse events. All-cause mortality: troponin [odds ratio (OR) 4.80; 95% CI 3.25-7.08, I(2) = 54%], BNP or NT-proBNP (OR 7.98; 95% CI 4.34-14.67, I(2) = 0%); PE-related mortality: troponin (OR 3.80; 95% CI 2.74-5.27, I(2) = 0%), BNP or NT-proBNP (OR 7.57; 95% CI 2.89-19.81, I (2) = 0%) and H-FABP (OR 25.97; 95% CI 6.63-101.66, I(2) = 40%). H-FABP has the lowest negative likelihood ratio (NLR) of 0.17 for mortality followed by high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) with NLR of 0.21. CONCLUSION: None of the biomarker identifies a subgroup of patients who can be managed as an outpatient versus patients who may get benefit from thrombolytics with certainty; however, H-FABP and hs-cTnT showed some promising results and should be investigated further.
Subject(s)
Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins/blood , Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/blood , Peptide Fragments/blood , Pulmonary Embolism/blood , Pulmonary Embolism/mortality , Troponin/blood , Acute Disease , Biomarkers/blood , Cause of Death , Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3 , Humans , Predictive Value of Tests , PrognosisABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) has emerged as a new biomarker in risk stratification of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We performed a meta-analysis of studies in patients with acute PE to assess the prognostic value of elevated H-FABP for short-term adverse outcomes. DATA SOURCE: Two independent reviewers systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database until June 2014. DATA SELECTION: Studies were searched using MeSH word "fatty acid-binding protein" and "pulmonary embolism." Prospective studies were included if those were done on patients with acute PE and if serum H-FABP assay was done. DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant data on study design, year of publication, patient population, inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, mean age, sex, type of H-FABP assay, cutoff of H-FABP used, and outcomes were extracted. The primary end point was 30-day complicated clinical course and PE-related mortality. The secondary end point was right ventricular dysfunction (RVD). A random-effects model was used to pool study results. DATA SYNTHESIS: Nine studies, including 1680 patients, reported data on the 30-day complicated clinical course. Elevated H-FABP was significantly associated with the increased risk of 30-day complicated clinical course (odds ratio [OR], 17.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.02-51.89; I(2) = 80%). Similarly, 6 studies, including 676 patients, reported 30-day mortality data. Elevated H-FABP was associated with increased risk of 30-day PE-related mortality (OR, 32.94; 95% CI, 8.80-123.21, I(2) = 53%). The risk of RVD was significantly higher in patients with elevated H-FABP as compared with patients with normal H-FABP (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.05-6.33, I(2) = 57%). The prognostic sensitivity and specificity of H-FABP were 71% and 74% in predicting 30-day complicated clinical course and were 90% and 70% in predicting 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates that elevated H-FABP levels are associated with increased risk of 30-day complicated clinical course, mortality, and RVD.
Subject(s)
Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Pulmonary Embolism/diagnosis , Adult , Aged , Biomarkers/metabolism , Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3 , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Prospective Studies , Pulmonary Embolism/mortality , Risk Assessment , Sensitivity and Specificity , Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/diagnosis , Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/mortality , Young AdultABSTRACT
The objective of our meta-analysis is to update the evidence on the prognostic value of elevated troponin levels in patient with acute normotensive pulmonary embolism (PE). We did a systematic literature review of database, including Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane. Studies were included if those were done on normotensive patients with acute PE and serum troponin assay was done. The primary end point was short term all cause mortality. The secondary end points were short term PE related mortality and serious adverse events. Elevated troponin levels were significantly associated with the increased risk for short term mortality (odds ratio [OR], 4.80; 95% CI, 3.25-7.08, I(2) = 54%), PE related mortality (OR, 3.80; 95% CI, 2.74-5.27, I(2) = 0%) and serious adverse events (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.41-5.53, I(2) = 47%). Our study suggests that elevated levels of troponin identify a subgroup of patients with increased risk for short term mortality and serious adverse events.
