Intestinal-FABP and liver-FABP: Novel markers for severe abdominal injury

B. Relja*, M. Szermutzky, D. Henrich, M. Maier, J. de Haan, T. Lubbers, W.A. Buurman, I. Marzi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) have relatively high tissue concentrations and low plasma concentrations and are released into the circulation following organ injury. We explored the utility of intestinal-(I)-FABP and liver-(L)-FABP for the diagnosis of abdominal injury in patients with multiple trauma. METHODS: This prospective study included 102 trauma patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Plasma I-FABP and L-FABP levels were measured in the emergency department (ED) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Forty-one patients suffered from serious or severe abdominal trauma (Abbreviated Injury Score [AIS] code "ai" for abdominal injury, AISai > or = 3) and nine were moderately abdominally injured (AISai < 3). Fifty-two had no abdominal injury. RESULTS: Median I-FABP and L-FABP levels in the AISai > or = 3 group (516 pg/mL and 135 ng/mL, respectively) were significantly higher compared to the AISai < 3 group (154 pg/mL and 13 ng/mL, respectively) or those without abdominal injury (207 pg/mL and 21 ng/mL, respectively) or normal controls (108 pg/mL and 13 ng/mL, respectively). The cutoff to distinguish the ai > or = 3 is 359 pg/mL for I-FABP and 54 ng/mL for L-FABP, with 93% specificity and 75% sensitivity for I-FABP and 93% and 82% for L-FABP, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: High I-FABP and L-FABP levels correlate with relevant severity of abdominal tissue damage in patients with multiple trauma. I-FABP and L-FABP could be useful as markers for the early detection of significant abdominal injury in acute multiple trauma and identify patients who require rapid intervention.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)729-735
Number of pages7
JournalAcademic Emergency Medicine
Volume17
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Jul 2010

Keywords

  • I-FABP
  • L-FABP
  • severe abdominal trauma
  • diagnosis
  • ACID-BINDING-PROTEIN
  • DIAGNOSTIC PERITONEAL-LAVAGE
  • FATTY-ACID
  • BLUNT TRAUMA
  • HEPATOCELLULAR DAMAGE
  • COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY
  • MULTIPLE INJURIES
  • ULTRASOUND
  • SEPSIS
  • FAMILY

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