Diagnostic Use
Increased concentrations are either due to prolonged venostasis during specimen collection (artefactual), or loss of protein free fluid (dehydration).
Decreased concentrations are due to:
- Dilution (excess IV fluids, specimen taken from “drip arm”, pregnancy, oedematous states)
- Recumbency (5 – 10 g/L decrease – common in hospital patients) or increased capillary membrane permeability (seen in most illnesses)
- Decreased synthesis (malnutrition, malabsorption, liver failure, alcoholism)
- Increased loss (nephrotic syndrome, burns, protein-losing enteropathy)
- Increased catabolism (many illnesses: – malignancies, thyrotoxicosis, inflammation, etc.)
- Analbuminemia (rare genetic disorder)
Serum albumin is NOT a nutritional marker
Serum albumin decreases in response to a wide range of illnesses and trauma. Inflammation causes a cytokine-mediated shift to the extravascular space. Conversely, even severe malnutrition states such as marasmus and anorexia nervosa are not usually accompanied by decreased albumin levels. The only malnutrition state associated consistently with low albumin is Kwashiorkor. For these reasons, albumin is not useful as a nutritional marker, despite its traditional use in this role.
Test Method
Principle: Colorimetric - Bromocresol purple
Analysers: Roche Diagnostics Cobas c703
Reagents: ALBP
Uncertainty of Measurement
5% at 5 mg/L and 15% at 71 g/L