AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the serum heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) levels and cardiac effects in patients presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and to investigate whether any correlation exists between the cardiac effects and H-FABP.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Forty-six patients diagnosed as acute SAH in the emergency department were included in this study. Twenty healthy adults were included in the study to serve as controls. Twelve-lead ECG was performed on all patients on admission. H-FABP levels of patients were determined in serum samples taken on admission.

RESULTS: Serum H-FABP levels of patients were found to be significantly higher than those of controls (p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between serum H-FABP levels and ECG changes. There was a moderate positive correlation between H-FABP serum levels and the grade according to the Hunt and Hess classification (r=0.43, p<0.05). There was a weak positive correlation between H-FABP serum levels and the grade according to the Fisher radiological classification (r=0.38, p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Serum H-FABP levels are increased in patients with SAH. Grades according to the Hunt and Hess and Fisher grading scales were shown to increase in conjunction with an increase in H-FABP levels.