Albumin levels are markers for which conditions?

Albumin levels are markers for which conditions?

• A. Malnutrition
• B. Kidney or Liver Disease
• C. Malnutrition and Kidney or Liver Disease
• D. Dehydration

Answer: (C)

Albumin is made by the liver and helps keep the blood’s oncotic pressure. When albumin is low, it points to problems with protein synthesis, protein intake, or loss of protein from the body. Malnutrition lowers protein intake, so albumin drops. Liver disease impairs the liver’s ability to synthesize albumin, leading to low levels. Kidney disease, especially nephrotic syndrome, causes substantial urinary loss of albumin, also lowering its level. Dehydration, by contrast, tends to concentrate albumin and raise its measured level rather than lower it. Because hypoalbuminemia can arise from both inadequate nutrition and loss/synthesis problems related to the liver or kidneys, albumin levels are markers for malnutrition and kidney or liver disease.

Albumin is made by the liver and helps keep the blood’s oncotic pressure. When albumin is low, it points to problems with protein synthesis, protein intake, or loss of protein from the body. Malnutrition lowers protein intake, so albumin drops. Liver disease impairs the liver’s ability to synthesize albumin, leading to low levels. Kidney disease, especially nephrotic syndrome, causes substantial urinary loss of albumin, also lowering its level. Dehydration, by contrast, tends to concentrate albumin and raise its measured level rather than lower it. Because hypoalbuminemia can arise from both inadequate nutrition and loss/synthesis problems related to the liver or kidneys, albumin levels are markers for malnutrition and kidney or liver disease.