From a total of 118 patients with confirmed diagnosis of PE by tomography (n=114) or ventilation/pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy (n=4), 7 had inadequate echocardiographic windows, 5 refused to participate in the study, 2 did not have their BNP measured, 2 had associated left ventricular dysfunction and 2 presented arrhythmia. This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and cardiac arrhythmia.