Ischemia-Modified Albumin and Atherosclerosis in Patients With Familial Mediterranean Fever

Angiology. 2016 May;67(5):456-60. doi: 10.1177/0003319715595744. Epub 2015 Aug 3.

Abstract

The constriction of vessels due to atherosclerotic lesions causes hypoxia/ischemia and oxidative changes resulting in transformation of free albumin to ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) in the circulation and increased carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). We investigated the reliability of IMA increase in evaluating atherosclerosis in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) compared with cIMT. Patients with FMF (n = 58) diagnosed by the Tel-Hashomer criteria in attack-free period and 38 healthy people were included in the study. Patient demographics as well as the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the healthy controls and patients with FMF were noted. The IMA levels and cIMT in patients with FMF were 0.30 ± 0.09 absorbance units (ABSUs) and 1.12 ± 0.27 mm, respectively, and in the control group, IMA levels and cIMT were 0.25 ± 0.07 ABSU and 0.74 ± 0.26 mm, respectively. The IMA levels and cIMT were significantly higher in patients with FMF than in controls (P= .020 andP< .0001, respectively). The IMA values showed positive correlation with cIMT in patients with FMF(r= .302,P= .041). Our results reveal that IMA--an oxidative stress marker--may be an indicator of atherosclerosis in patients with FMF. This finding deserves further investigation.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; carotid intima–media thickness; familial Mediterranean fever; ischemia-modified albumin; systemic inflammation.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Atherosclerosis / complications*
  • Atherosclerosis / diagnosis
  • Atherosclerosis / therapy
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • C-Reactive Protein / biosynthesis
  • Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / blood
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / complications*
  • Familial Mediterranean Fever / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ischemia / complications
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Serum Albumin / metabolism*
  • Serum Albumin, Human

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Serum Albumin
  • ischemia-modified albumin
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Serum Albumin, Human