Serum ischemia-modified albumin levels in children with epileptic seizures.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to determine the level of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) in children with epileptic seizures (ESs) and its relation with the seizure duration.

METHODS

The study was performed with 88 children as a prospective case-control study. Blood samples for IMA were obtained from 57 patients (mean age [SD], 50.86 [51.15] months) within 3 hours after ES and 31 healthy control subjects (mean age [SD], 53.13 [40.87] months). Ischemia-modified albumin was measured by the albumin cobalt binding test.

RESULTS

Although the mean (SD) of serum IMA level of the patients with seizure was 13.66 (13.16) U/mL, the mean (SD) of serum IMA level for the control group was 3.73 (1.93) U/mL. Ischemia-modified albumin levels were significantly higher in patients with seizure, compared with that in the control group (P < 0.01). When patients were grouped in itself according to the duration of ESs, the levels of IMA were detected to be increased in patients as the duration of seizures was lengthened.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased IMA levels after seizures suggest that IMA assay during seizure may be useful for predicting the diagnosis and severity of convulsion.