A New Biochemical Marker for the Differential Diagnosis of Epileptic Seizure Types: Ischaemia-modified Albumin

Abstract

Introduction:This study aimed to evaluate the changes in ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels in different types of hypoxia-associated epileptic seizures.Methods:A total of 80 patients admitted to the Neurology Outpatient Clinic in Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital and 103 controls were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups in terms of the seizure type, including seizures with partial and secondary generalisation and primary generalised seizures. Additionally, patients were classified in terms of the duration between the initial diagnosis and admission. The levels of IMA, albumin and uric acid were analysed by spectrophotometry and comparisons between the groups were performed.Results:IMA levels and IMA/Albumin index values were higher in the patient group than in the control group (p<0.05; p<0.01, respectively). Regarding the evaluation of the seizure types, IMA and IMA/Albumin index levels were mainly higher in patients with primary generalised seizures (p<0.05). Moreover, these parameters were significantly increased in proportion to the duration of diagnosis.Conclusion:IMA and IMA/Albumin index may enable clinicians to differentiate the types of epilepsy.

Keywords

• albumin
• epileptic seizures
• uric acid