title: Efficacy of albumin supplementation in the surgical intensive care unit: a prospective, randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy of supplemental 25% albumin in reducing morbidity and mortality rates in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, unblinded clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical ICU in a community hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred nineteen patients with admission circulating albumin concentrations of < 3.0 g/dL (< 30 g/L). The groups were well matched regarding age, sex, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores and initial circulating albumin concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The treatment group (n = 116) received 37.5 g/day of albumin until the circulating albumin concentration increased to > 3.0 g/dL (> 30 g/L). The control group (n = 103) received no supplemental albumin. Both groups received standard nutritional support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complication rate was 44% in the albumin group vs. 36.9% in the controls (p = .29). The albumin patients had a mortality rate of 10.3% vs. 5.8% in the control group (p = .22). There were no significant differences between the groups in the number of days spent receiving mechanical ventilation or in the tolerance to tube feedings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine supplemental administration of 25% albumin is expensive and offers no apparent outcome advantage and should be abandoned in the treatment of patients in the surgical ICU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, NY 11355.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golub
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sorrento
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cantu
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Nierman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moideen
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000418:Albumins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D012709:Serum Albumin