Can Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (I-FABP) Be A Marker in the Diagnosis of Abdominal Pathology?

Ozlem UZUN; Suha TURKMEN; Umut ERYIGIT; Ahmet MENTESE; Serdar TURKYILMAZ; Suleyman TUREDI; Suleyman Caner KARAHAN; Abdulkadir GUNDUZ

doi:10.5505/1304.7361.2014.15679

Ozlem UZUN¹, Suha TURKMEN², Umut ERYIGIT², Ahmet MENTESE³, Serdar TURKYILMAZ⁴, Suleyman TUREDI², Suleyman Caner KARAHAN⁵, Abdulkadir GUNDUZ²

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul
²Department of Emergency Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon
³Department of Biochemistry, Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon
⁴Department of General Surgery, Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon
⁵Department of Biochemistry, Ozel Yildizli Guven Hospital, Trabzon

Keywords: Abdominal mass; abdominal pain; I-FABP; mesenteric ischemia

Abstract

Objectives

Biochemical markers play an important role in the early diagnosis of abdominal pain. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of intestinal type fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) in patients with abdominal pathology.

Methods

This prospective and descriptive study was performed at the University Hospital Emergency Department. Serum I-FABP levels of patients presenting with acute abdominal pain were measured at time of admission and were compared with those of healthy individuals.

Results

The mean I-FABP level of the 171 patients enrolled in this study was 170.1±543.4 pg/ml, while that of a healthy control group was 61.4±47.4 pg/ml. Although I-FABP levels were higher in the patient group, this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, I-FABP levels of patients with mesenteric ischemia and intra-abdominal mass were significantly higher than those of healthy individuals (p≤0.05).

Conclusions

I-FABP levels that are evaluated at time of admission in patients presenting with abdominal pain to the emergency department are significantly higher in patients with mesenteric ischemia and intra-abdominal mass than are those of healthy individuals.