PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Öztürk, Z A
AU  - Köklü, S
AU  - Erol, M F
AU  - Yılmaz, F M
AU  - Başar, Ö
AU  - Yüksel, O
AU  - Yılmaz, G
AU  - Kısacık, B
AU  - Yüksel, İ
TI  - Serum adenosine deaminase levels in diagnosis of acute appendicitis
AID  - 10.1136/emj.2007.054452
DP  - 2008 Sep 01
TA  - Emergency Medicine Journal
PG  - 583--585
VI  - 25
IP  - 9
4099  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/25/9/583.short
4100  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/25/9/583.full
SO  - Emerg Med J2008 Sep 01; 25
AB  - Background: Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is found in most tissues including lymphoid cells and lymph nodes. It is a marker of T lymphocyte activation. The role of type 1 and type 2 T helper cells in appendicitis has been investigated experimentally. Serum ADA levels in acute appendicitis have not previously been studied.Aim: To assess the serum levels of ADA in patients with acute appendicitis.Methods: Serum levels of ADA were investigated in 30 cases with acute appendicitis (mean age 26 years; male/female 17/13) and 21 healthy controls (mean age 40 years; male/female 11/10). Levels of ADA were compared in patients with acute appendicitis and healthy controls. Correlation analysis between ADA and other inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), high-sensitivity CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and white blood cell count) was also performed.Results: Mean (SD) serum ADA levels were significantly higher in those with acute appendicitis than in the control group (13.41 (3.56) U/l vs 9.39 (1.22) U/l; p<0.001). There was no correlation between ADA and the other inflammatory markers investigated.Conclusions: Although serum levels of ADA do not correlate with other known inflammatory markers, its serum level is increased in acute appendicitis and it has a higher positive predictive value.