title: Use of microalbuminuria as a predictor of outcome in critically ill patients.
abstract: We have investigated the use of microalbuminuria as a predictor of outcome in a pilot study involving 50 critically ill patients in a six-bed hospital intensive care unit (ICU). Urinary microalbumin:creatinine (M:Cr) ratios measured only 6 h after admission to the ICU demonstrated a significant difference (P = 0.01) between survivors and non-survivors, allowing rapid identification of patients at increased risk of developing organ failure and at greater risk of death. This work suggests that earlier identification of these patients using a rapid, simple, inexpensive biochemical test is possible; if confirmed in a larger study, it may be that clinical interventions can be targeted at those most likely to benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: MacKinnon
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shearer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000401:mortality*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers