Can Ischemia-Modified Albumin Be a Helpful Marker in the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Childhood Intussusception?

Intussusception is the invagination of a proximal segment of the intestine into a more distal segment. The present study aimed to determine the sensitivity of the ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and the correlation between IMA and the severity of intestinal ischemia in intussusception cases.

Thirty-six consecutive children aged between 0 and 16 years presenting with the clinical and radiological features of intestinal obstruction caused by intussusception were enrolled in the study. The age- and sex-matched control group was composed of patients undergoing outpatient surgery. The patients were categorized as cases of type I (ileoileal), type II (ileocecal), and type III (colocolic) based on the ultrasonography findings.

The mean IMA level of the intussusception group was 179.13 ± 220.33 ng/mL, whereas the mean level was found as 89 ± 70.9 ng/mL in the control group. When the patients were categorized as ileoileal, ileocecal, and colocolic, the mean IMA levels were detected as 235.65 ± 268.14 ng/mL, 174.46 ± 212.8 ng/mL, and 46.95 ± 19.56 ng/mL, respectively. There was a moderate correlation between the invaginated segment lengths measured by the surgeon during the operation and IMA levels.

Our study findings reveal that IMA can be used as an auxiliary diagnostic marker in patients presenting with symptoms and signs suggestive of intussusception. Thus, patients can be screened for mechanical bowel obstruction due to intussusception and may be referred to pediatric surgery centers earlier for further examination.