The value of ischemia-modified albumin levels in the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels have been shown to rise under ischemic conditions such as acute coronary syndrome, acute mesentery ischemia, pulmonary thromboembolism or acute cerebrovascular episodes. In our study, the measurement of the IMA levels of patients applying to the emergency service with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), which are in the cerebrovascular disorders group for use as a diagnostic parameter.This research is a prospective follow-up study including a control group. Patients with final diagnoses of TIA or ischemic stroke among those who applied to the emergency service with a story or symptoms of neurological deficit were included in the study. 90 patients who applied to the emergency ward within 6 hours of the onset of complaints and who complied with the exclusion criteria and 50 healthy volunteers were accepted. 29 of the patients were diagnosed with TIA and 61 with ischemic stroke. The descriptions in the AHA/ASA 2009 guide were taken as basis for TIA and ischemic stroke. In the clinical classification of the patients, NIHSS and GKS were used. Serum samples were taken from the patients at arrival, 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th hours, and kept at below -20° C. IMA levels were determined in the serum samples from the patient and control groups, and data was analyzed using SPSS 13.0. The Pearson ? 2 test, Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman tests were utilized. p<0.05 was accepted as meaningful.Age average ± standard deviation (SD) was found to be 60.24 ± 14.56 in the TIA group and 69.69 ± 13.18 in the ischemic stroke group. Significant difference was established between the ages of the TIA and Ischemic stroke groups (p= 0.004). No significant difference was determined in final diagnoses related to gender.IMA levels were found to be significantly higher in the ischemic stroke and TIA patients in comparison to the control group (p<0.001). No significant difference was established between ischemic stroke and TIA patients in IMA levels. In the patient groups, no significant difference was observed between the IMA levels at the arrival, 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th hours. Strong negative correlation was determined between NIHS and GCS. A medium positive correlation between NIHSS and 6th hour IMA levels was determined. When the patients? brain BBT and MRGs were checked for acute pathology, significant difference was observed between those with a final diagnosis of TIA and a final diagnosis of ischemic stroke (p<0.001). No acute pathology was found in patients with a final diagnosis of TIA.IMA levels in ischemic stroke and TIA patients were determined to be higher than healthy individuals. This can be used for an early diagnosis of cerebral ischemia in patients applying to the emergency service with neurological deficit or consciousness alteration.