title: Ischemia modified albumin: an oxidative stress marker in β-thalassemia major.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) is an altered type of serum albumin that forms under conditions of oxidative stress. This study reports on the levels and clinical significance of IMA in patients with β-thalassemia major.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood specimens were collected from 166 subjects (101 β-thalassemia major patients and 65 healthy controls). Serum levels of IMA, ferritin, malondialdehyde (MDA), ferroxidase, transaminases, total protein, and albumin were determined using conventional methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of IMA (ABSU) were significantly higher in patients than in controls (0.725±0.155 vs 0.554±0.154, p=0.000). Similarly, higher levels were also observed for ferritin, MDA, ferroxidase, and transaminases. No significant differences were observed between patients and controls with respect to total protein and albumin. Spearman univariate analysis demonstrated significant correlation between IMA and ferritin, MDA, ferroxidase, and transaminases. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant association of IMA with ferritin and ferroxidase after adjusting for the other variables (r=0.343, p=0.002; r=0.228, p=0.029 respectively). MDA however, correlated significantly with ferritin only (r=0.654, p=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that increased levels of IMA in thalassemic patients are likely to be a result of iron-induced oxidative stress and hence its potential significance as a new marker of oxidative stress in such patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Sharjah, College of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Lab Sciences, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. sawadallah@sharjah.ac.ae
authors.forename: Samir M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Awadallah
authors.forename: Manar F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Atoum
authors.forename: Nisreen A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Nimer
authors.forename: Suleiman A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Saleh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin