title: Increased ischaemia-modified albumin is associated with inflammation in acute rheumatic fever.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ischaemia-modified albumin, a novel biochemical marker for tissue ischaemia, was found to be associated with oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of ischaemia-modified albumin in the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever and also to evaluate the ischaemia-modified albumin levels in children with heart valve disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study groups, aged 5-18 years, consisted of 128 individuals - 40 with acute rheumatic fever, 35 with congenital heart valve disease, 33 with chronic rheumatic heart disease, and 20 healthy control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ischaemia-modified albumin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels of the acute rheumatic fever group were significantly higher than those in the chronic rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart valve disease, and control groups, separately (p < 0.001). The ischaemia-modified albumin levels in both carditis and isolated arthritis subgroups of children with acute rheumatic fever were significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the chorea subgroup and control subjects. In addition, significant correlations were observed between ischaemia-modified albumin and acute phase reactants of patients with acute rheumatic fever (p < 0.001 for both erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein). The ischaemia-modified albumin levels of chronic rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart valve disease, and control subjects were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased level of ischaemia-modified albumin in children with acute rheumatic fever seems to be associated with inflammation. However, further studies are needed to provide stronger evidence.
authors: 1 Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Meram Medical Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors: Zehra
authors: Z
authors: Karataş
authors: 1 Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Meram Medical Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors: Tamer
authors: T
authors: Baysal
authors: 2 Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Konya, Turkey.
authors: Fatih
authors: F
authors: Şap
authors: 1 Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Meram Medical Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors: Hayrullah
authors: H
authors: Alp
authors: 3 Department of Biochemistry, Meram Medical Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors: Idris
authors: I
authors: Mehmetoğlu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012709:Serum Albumin; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin; C561522:ischemia-modified albumin; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human