Plasma albumin alone is an insensitive and non-specific marker of the level of nutrition. This is because its concentration is affected by a number of factors e.g. its distribution between body compartments and its prolonged half-life of 18 days.
However, in the presence of historical and physical stigmata of malnutrition, an albumin value of 32 g / l or less is a key index of severe malnutrition.
Alternative plasma proteins may be more sensitive and specific for malnutrition due to their shorter half lives and simpler kinetics. These include transferrin and prealbumin.
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