The indicator of hypoxia in acute leukemia: Ischemia-modified albumin

Hypoxia plays an important role in the development and progression of hematologic malignancies.

This study was intended to investigate the effectiveness of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) for demonstrating hypoxia in patients with acute leukemia.

Blood specimens were collected from 132 subjects (44 acute leukemia patients, 40 iron deficiency anemia (IDA) patients and 48 healthy controls). Serum levels of IMA and malondialdehyde (MDA) were analyzed using conventional methods.

Serum levels of IMA were higher in patients with acute leukemia than in those with IDA and healthy controls (acute leukemia patients; 0.69 ± 0.14 ABSUs, IDA patients; 0.61 ± 0.09 ABSUs, controls; 0.50 ± 0.09 ABSUs, respectively). There was a negative correlation between serum IMA levels and hemoglobin (Hb) values (r = - 0.312) and between serum IMA levels and hematocrit (Hct) values, (r = - 0.305) in patients with acute leukemia. Serum levels of MDA were higher in patients with acute leukemia than in those with IDA. But there was no difference in patients with acute leukemia and IDA compared to healthy controls (acute leukemia patients; 2.23 ± 1.82 nmol/mL, IDA patients; 1.36 ± 0.94 nmol/mL, healthy controls; 1.79 ± 0.78 nmol/mL, respectively).

IMA can be effective for demonstrating hypoxia in patients with acute leukemia.