Serum albumin may be a ‘prognostic biomarker’ in acute pancreatitis
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Key takeaways:
- Hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with persistent systemic inflammatory response syndrome, as well as pleural effusion and ascites.
- In-hospital mortality also was linked to hypoalbuminemia.
Serum albumin levels, specifically hypoalbuminemia, within 24 hours of hospital admission for acute pancreatitis may help predict adverse outcomes and mortality, according to researchers.
“Albumin is the most abundant protein in the body and serves a variety of essential functions,” Fakhrddine Amri, MD, of the department of hepato-gastroenterology at Mohammed VI University Hospital in Morocco, and colleagues wrote in BMC Gastroenterology. “Some studies have shown that low serum albumin levels in [acute pancreatitis] are significantly related to poor prognosis and could be an important tool for predicting adverse outcomes, especially in anticipating persistent organ failure and mortality.”
In a retrospective study, the researchers investigated the relationship between serum albumin levels within 24 hours of hospital admission and outcomes and mortality among 371 patients (mean age, 55.5 years; 70.9% women) with acute pancreatitis between 2018 and 2023. The cohort’s mean albumin level was 36.1 g/L and 33.4% of cases had hypoalbuminemia, defined as no more than 30 g/L.
According to results, patients with hypoalbuminemia had a higher mean age (59.62 years vs. 53.54 years), as well as increased mean creatinine (12.5 mg/L vs. 7.5 mg/L) and C-reactive protein (180 mg/L vs. 116 mg/L) levels compared with those who had normal albumin levels.
Amri and colleagues also reported that hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with persistent systemic inflammatory response syndrome (70.8% vs. 29.2%) after 48 hours and higher Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (66.7% vs. 33.3%) and CT Severity Index scores (51.7% vs. 48.3%). There was a significant correlation between hypoalbuminemia and the presence of pleural effusion and ascites.
In addition, the researchers reported in-hospital mortality was 4.6%, which was significantly associated with hypoalbuminemia (76.5%).
“The study provides evidence for the significance of serum albumin as a prognostic biomarker in acute pancreatitis, especially in predicting sustained organ failure and mortality,” Amri and colleagues wrote. “This insight has the potential to improve the care and outcomes of individuals with acute pancreatitis.”
They added: “Nevertheless, further research is crucial to validate these findings and investigate the potential advantages of incorporating serum albumin levels into clinical decision-making for acute pancreatitis.”
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