title: Serum albumin is predictive of 30-day survival after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes have been used since 1980 in patients who require prolonged enteral feeding.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors associated with poor survival (defined as survival < 30 days) post-PEG.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed a cohort of 64 patients consecutively referred for a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube in a single, tertiary care hospital. Prior to PEG tube placement, we evaluated relevant clinical variables in each patient to determine their effect on 30-day mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the cohort, 43 of 64 (67.2%) survived at least 30 days after tube placement. One death was attributable to tube placement. Bivariate analyses showed that 30-day survival correlated directly with serum albumin (r = .253; p = .049) and inversely with creatinine (r = -0.255; p = .042). Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, only albumin was identified as an independent predictor of 30-day survival (p = .044). Eighty-three percent of patients with a serum albumin > or = 3.0 g/dL survived 30 days compared with 58% with an albumin < 3.0, a difference of 25% (95% CI, -2% to 54%; p = .07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, serum albumin appears to be a predictor of early survival in individuals undergoing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Friedenberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gujral
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Braitman
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin