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Background/aim: Albumin is the most important protein synthesized by the liver. Posttranscriptional changes occur in the molecular structure of albumin due to various factors and isoforms arise. Ischemic modified albumin (IMA) is one such isoform. This study was conducted to evaluate serum IMA concentrations in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related chronic liver diseases. Materials and methods: This study included 74 treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B patients, 25 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, and 49 healthy controls. Serum IMA concentration was measured spectrophotometrically using the albumin cobalt binding test. Results: The mean IMA concentrations in the chronic hepatitis B group and healthy controls were 0.33 ± 0.11 ABSU and 0.27 ± 0.70 ABSU, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Mean IMA/albumin ratios (IMAR) in the chronic hepatitis B and control groups were 0.08 ± 0.04 and 0.06 ± 0.17, respectively, and the difference was also statistically significant (P < 0.001). Higher serum IMA concentrations and IMAR were detected in patients with advanced fibrosis. Conclusion: Serum IMA concentration and IMAR are increased in patients with HBV-related chronic liver diseases and IMA and IMAR are associated with the degree of liver fibrosis. IMA and IMAR may have potential use as noninvasive markers of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 and P < .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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]