Effect of deep vein thrombosis on ischaemia-modified albumin levels.

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of studies have shown that ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels rise in a number of acute ischaemic conditions such as cerebral infarct, myocardial infarct, pulmonary infarct and mesenteric infarct, suggesting that IMA may be useful as a diagnostic marker. A study was undertaken to investigate the effect on IMA levels of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), frequently encountered at the outset or during the course of diseases such as pulmonary embolism and cerebral infarct.

METHODS

A case-control study was performed in the emergency department of Karadeniz Technical University Hospital, Turkey. 41 patients presenting to the emergency and vascular surgery departments and definitively diagnosed with DVT using Doppler ultrasonography were enrolled in the study. A control group of 66 age-matched healthy volunteers served as a reference for biochemical parameters.

RESULTS

Mean (SD) plasma IMA levels were 0.259 (0.066) absorbance units (ABSU) in the DVT group and 0.171 (0.045) ABSU in the control group (p<0.005). The area under the curve for IMA was 0.850 (95% CI 0.768 to 0.933). The IMA value with acceptable sensitivity and specificity capable of being raised was 0.195 ABSU (sensitivity 80.5%, specificity 71.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

DVT is associated with raised serum IMA levels but IMA levels are not suitable as a diagnostic marker for DVT.