The Diagnostic Value of Serum Ischemia-modified Albumin Levels in Experimentally Induced Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Their Correlation With Poisoning Severity

Abstract

The objectives were to determine the diagnostic value of blood ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels in experimentally induced carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and to analyze their correlation with poisoning severity. Thirty-six female rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups: I (control group), II (low-dose CO poisoning group), and III (high-dose CO poisoning group). The control group was kept in room air, while groups II and III were exposed to 3 L/min of 3,000 ppm and 3 L/min of 5,000 ppm CO gas for 30 minutes, respectively. Serum carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), IMA, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels; brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney tissue MDA measurements; and histopathologic damage scores were then compared. IMA levels were significantly higher in groups II and III than in group I. A moderate positive correlation was observed between COHb and IMA levels. There was a strong positive correlation between COHb levels and degree of damage in all organs, but IMA and MDA levels did not reflect a similar correlation. Ischemia-modified albumin levels are higher in rats exposed to CO. This indicates that IMA levels can potentially be important in the diagnosis of exposure to CO or of CO poisoning. However, IMA levels are not a good biochemical marker in terms of determining the severity of poisoning.