The role of serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein levels and D-lactate levels in the diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia

To evaluate the clinical usefulness of serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) and D-lactate measurements in the early diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia. A total of 272 patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute abdomen were recruited for this trial over a 24-month period, and 37 healthy people were included in the study as controls. Serum I-FABP and D-lactate levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared in patients with intestinal ischemia vs. non-intestinal ischemia. Of the 272 patients, 39 were diagnosed with intestinal ischemia and 233 were diagnosed with other cause of acute abdomen. The mean serum I-FABP and D-lactate levels in the patients with intestinal ischemia were 149.74 ± 57.81 ng/mL and 52.73 ± 26.46 ug/mL, respectively, and were significantly higher compared with patients with non-intestinal ischemia (36.78 ± 11.25 ng/mL and 15.58 ± 5.17 ug/mL, respectively) and with levels in the healthy control group (8.33 ± 6.25 ng/mL and 5.47 ± 1.64 ug/mL, respectively). Area under the curve for I-FABP and D-lactate were 0.85 and 0.69, and cut-off values of 93.07 ng/mL and 34.28 ug/mL, respectively. Serum I-FABP and D-lactate can improve the diagnosis of intestinal ischemia in patients with acute abdomen who are at risk.