Albumin is an important protein (protein) of the human body. It makes up more than half of the proteins found intravascularly – in blood vessels – and is produced in the liver in hepatocytes (liver cells). In total, more than 300 grams of albumin are present in the body.
Albumin is mainly needed as a carrier for many other substances such as fatty acids or trace elements. In addition, albumin is used to maintain colloid osmotic pressure.
The process
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- Not necessary
Disruptive factors
- Not known
Normal value
| Normal value in mg/dl | 3.500-5.500 |
Indications
- Suspected dehydration (lack of fluids).
- Follow-up of chronic kidney and liver disease.
- Progression assessment of hepatocellular function (synthesis performance of the liver).
Interpretation
Interpretation of increased values
- Dehydration – dehydration due to lack of body water.
Interpretation of decreased values
- An-/hypalbuminemia – genetic, complete absence or deficiency of albumin.
- Decompensated cirrhosis – connective tissue remodeling of the liver leading to functional impairment.
- Gastrointestinal protein loss (e.g., in exudative enteropathies).
- Malnutrition (malnutrition)
- Nephrotic syndrome – collective term for symptoms that occur in various diseases of the glomerulus (renal corpuscles); the symptoms are proteinuria (excretion of protein in the urine) with a protein loss of more than 1 g/m²/body surface/d; hypoproteinemia, peripheral edema due to hypalbuminemia of < 2.5 g/dl in serum, hyperlipoproteinemia (lipid metabolism disorder).
- Burns
