Effects of peripheral vascular intervention on ischemia-modified albumin

Ischemia -modified albumin was regarded as an early marker of cardiac ischemia. On the other hand, it has been reported that increased ischemia-modified albumin levels are associated with unstable plaque processes like percutaneous coronary intervention, acute coronary syndrome or myocardial infarction. This prospective study aimed to investigate the role of ischemia-modified albumin in patients with peripheral vascular disease undergoing peripheral vascular intervention, a plaque-altering procedure without evidence of tissue ischemia. Peripheral vascular intervention was performed in 21 consecutive patients (68.2+/-13.3 years) with typical leg claudication and documented peripheral vascular disease. Additionally, 96 consecutive patients (66+/-12.0 years) undergoing routine exercise stress test for the exclusion of functionally relevant coronary artery disease were defined as controls. It was assumed that in the latter patients no unstable plaque-altering processes were present. Blood samples were drawn before, and 30 min and 3 h after, revascularization in the peripheral vascular intervention group, as well as before, and 30 min and 3 h after, maximum stress testing in the control group, respectively. Ischemia-modified albumin levels were analyzed using the albumin cobalt-binding test. In patients undergoing peripheral vascular intervention, ischemia-modified albumin increased from 116.6+/-19.1 U/ml at baseline to 132.0+/-19.3 U/ml 30 min after intervention (+14.4+/-15.7%, P