Assessment of heat shock proteins and endothelial dysfunction in acute pulmonary embolism

We determined the levels of some heat shock proteins (HSP27, HSP70, and HSP90), L-arginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. The present case-control study comprised a healthy control group (n = 57) and patients with acute pulmonary embolism (n = 84). HSPs, L-arginine, ADMA, and SDMA levels were measured in all of the cases. The mean age of the control group was 56.72 ± 8.44 years, and the mean age of the patients with acute pulmonary embolism was 60.20 ± 16.56 years (P = 0.104). Compared with controls, patients with acute pulmonary embolism had significantly higher mean serum HSP27, HSP90, and ADMA levels, whereas the mean serum L-arginine and SDMA levels were lower (P < 0.001, for all parameters). In patients with acute pulmonary embolism serum HSP27, HSP70, and ADMA levels were negatively correlated with partial pressures of arterial oxygen levels (r = -0.281, P = 0.01; r = -0.263, P = 0.016; and r = -0.275, P = 0.011, respectively) and arterial oxygen saturation (r = -0.225, P = 0.039; r = -0.400, P < 0.001; r = -0.299, P = 0.006, respectively). The findings of the present study demonstrated that oxidative stress and endothelial damage increase in acute pulmonary embolism.