Albumin

Decreased serum albumin may result from liver disease or kidney disease (http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/albumin/test.html). Decreased albumin may also be explained by malnutrition or a low protein diet. Low albumin levels can also be related to inflammation, shock, and malnutrition. High albumin levels usually reflect dehydration (http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/albumin/test.html).

Drugs that can increase albumin measurements include anabolic steroids, androgens, growth hormone, and insulin (http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/albumin/test.html).

Significance of Measurement
Low levels of albumin have been related to heart attack, stroke, functioning loss, and death among older persons (Cohen et al., 1997; Kannel et al., 1987; Kuller et al., 1991, 1996; Mendall et al., 1996; Reuben et al., 2002; Ridker et al., 1997; Tracy et al., 1995, 1997). Data from the MacArthur study have related low levels of albumin to functional decline, death (Reuben et al., 2002; Weaver et al., 2002) and cognitive impairment (Cattin et al., 1997).

Concomitant low serum cholesterol and albumin levels may identify high functioning older persons who are at increased risk of subsequent mortality and functional decline (Reuben et al., 1999).

Method of Measurement
The test requires blood serum. In the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging analysis of allostatic load, low albumin has been included as a risk factor with a cutoff of 3.9 mg/dl or lower considered as high risk (Seeman et al., 2004).

References
· About. (n.d.). Albumin-Serum. Retrieved March 28, 2005, from http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/003480.htm?terms=albumin
· Cattin, L., Bordin, P., Fonda, M., Adamo, C., Barbone, F., Bovenzi, M., et al. (1997). Factors associated with cognitive impairment among older Italian inpatients. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 45, 1124-1130.
· Cohen, H., Pieper, C., Harris, T., Rao, K.M., & Currie, M. (1997). Plasma IL-6: An indicator of functional disability in community dwelling elderly. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 52A, M201-M208.
· Kannel, W., Wolf, P., Castelli, W., & D’Agostino, R. (1987). Fibrinogen and risk of cardiovascular disease: The Framingham Study. Journal of American Medical Association, 258, 1183-1186.
· Kuller, L., Eichner, J., Orchard, T., Grandits, G., McCallum, L., & Tracy, R. (1991). The relation between serum albumin levels and risk of coronary heart disease in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial. American Journal of Epidemiology, 134, 1266-1277.
· Kuller, L., Tracy, R., Shaten, J., & Meilahn, E. (1996). Relation of C-reactive protein and coronary heart disease in the MRFIT nested case-control study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 144, 537-547.
· Lab Tests Online. (2001). Albumin. Retrieved March 28, 2005, from http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/albumin/test.html
· Mendall, M., Patel, P., Ballam, L., Strachan, D., & Northfield, T. (1996). C-reactive protein and its relation to cardiovascular risk factors: A population based cross sectional study. British Medical Journal, 312, 1049-1050.
· Seeman, T.E., Crimmins, E.M., Huang, M.H., Singer, B., Bucur, A., Gruenewald, T., et al. (2004). Cumulative biological risk and socioeconomic differences in mortality: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging. Social Science and Medicine, 58(10), 1985-1997.
· Reuben, D.B., Chen, A.I., Harris, T., Ferrucci, L., Rowe, J., Tracy, R., & Seeman, T. (2002). Peripheral blood markers of inflammation predict mortality and functional decline in high-functioning community-dwelling older persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 50, 638-644.
· Reuben, D.B., Ix, J.H., Greendale, G.A., & Seeman, T.E. (1999). The predictive value of combined hypoalbuminemia and hypocholesterolemia in high functioning community-dwelling older persons: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 47(11), 1386-1387.
· Ridker, P.M., Cushman, M., Stampfer, M.J. Tracy, R.P., & Hennekens, C.H. (1997). Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. New England Journal of Medicine, 336, 973-979.
· Tracy, R., Bovill, E., Yanez, D., Psaty, B., Fried, L., Heiss, G., et al. (1995). Fibrinogen and factor VIII, but not fact VII, are associated with measures of subclinical cardiovascular disease in the elderly: Results from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 15, 1269-1279.
· Tracy, R., Lemaitre, R., Psaty, B., Ives, D., Evans, R., Cushman, M., et al. (1997). Relationship of C-reactive protein to risk of cardiovascular disease in the elderly: Results from the Cardiovascular Health Study and the Rural Health Promotion Project. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 17, 1121-1127.