title: Assessment of ischemia-modified albumin levels for emergency room diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the utility of assessing ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels for diagnosing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients presenting to the emergency room (ER) with chest pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of patients admitted to the ER with chest pain between August 2006 and December 2008 were examined. Those subsequently diagnosed with ACS were included in the study. Serum IMA and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations were determined in blood samples obtained from patients within 3h of ER admission and on days 1, 3, 7 and 14. IMA and cTnI cut-off values for diagnosis of ACS were employed and the successful diagnosis rates were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients diagnosed with ACS following ER presentation with acute chest pain, the correct diagnosis rate was significantly higher as determined by assessment of IMA vs. cTnI concentrations within 3h of ER presentation (81.02% vs. 42.34%, P<0.01). Thereafter there were no between marker differences in rates of successful diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the notion that IMA may be a useful biochemical marker for the early diagnosis of ACS, particularly in patients presenting to the ER with acute chest pain.
authors.affiliation: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, China. sxli3318@163.com
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Cai-Jing
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Leng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Pu
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin; D019210:Troponin I