The good, the bad, and the ugly: should we completely banish human albumin from our intensive care units?
Human albumin is still widely used in critically ill patients for volume replacement therapy or for correcting hypoproteinemia. Most meta-analyses on the value of albumin administration are over 15 yr old and raise more questions than they answer. With the help of a MEDLINE analysis, we examined more recent studies in humans using albumin. Most of these studies have recommended a very cautious use of albumin in critically ill patients.
Boldt
J
J
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BoldtJ@gmx.net
D000418:Albumins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D007019:Hypoproteinemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
D000418:Albumins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010952:Plasma Substitutes; D012709:Serum Albumin