090-20-2205

Pre-albumin

Blood/ Plain blood (Red top) 6 mL, 1 tube

Serum, minimum volume 2 mL

Plastic tube

Hemolysis  4+

Separated serum: 20-25°C/ 24 hours 
                              2 - 8°C /3 days 

090-20-2205

Pre-albumin

Tested Daily (24 Hours)

Specimen collected to reported within 90 min

Biochemistry, Laboratory Department 13224

5 days

090-20-2205

Pre-albumin

Prealbumin is a very sensitive negative acute phase protein (or acute phase reactant); decreased levels are associated with inflammation, malignancy, liver cirrhosis, and protein diseases of the gut or kidneys. Prealbumin levels also fall during periods of calorie/ protein malnutrition; therefore, during inflammatory processes with
concomitant malnutrition, levels fall rapidly and markedly.
Decreased prealbumin levels are also associated with cystic fibrosis, chronic illness, and some forms of hereditary amyloidosis. Although the presence of acute or chronic inflammation may limit its specificity, prealbumin can be a useful marker for assessing protein-energy nutritional status of maintenance dialysis patients.

In 2000, the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) recommended a prealbumin goal of ≥ 30 mg/dL, stating, “An individual with predialysis or stabilized serum prealbumin of less than 30 mg/ dL should be evaluated for protein-energy malnutrition”. It has been reported that serum prealbumin is higher in peritoneal
dialysis patients than in hemodialysis patients.

Elevated prealbumin levels are associated with high doses of corticosteroids, high levels of endogenous steroids secondary to adrenal hyperactivity, high doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and Hodgkin’s disease.

Clinical correlation recommended with patient status and other nutritional markers.

Manufacturer’s reagent package insert, Architect® Prealbumin, Abbott Laboratories, Abbot Park IL 60064 USA, July 2020.