Albumin administration in patients with severe sepsis due to secondary peritonitis.
BACKGROUND
To determine whether or not intravenous administration of human albumin can reduce mortality in patients with severe sepsis due to secondary peritonitis.


METHODS
Adult patients who were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) who fulfilled the criteria of severe sepsis due to secondary peritonitis were consecutively included in this retrospective study. Patients who received and those who did not receive at least a daily minimum of 25 g intravenous human albumin for 3 days during their first 7 days of SICU admission were classified as the study group and control group, respectively.


RESULTS
A total of 133 patients were included in this study. For patients with baseline serum albumin < or = 20 g/L, 28-day mortality was significantly lower in the study group. For patients with baseline serum albumin > 20 g/L, albumin administration had no significant effects on 28-day mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
For patients with severe sepsis due to secondary peritonitis, albumin administration may reduce 28-day mortality in patients whose baseline serum albumin is < or = 20 g/L, but no such effect was found in patients whose baseline serum albumin was > 20 g/L.
Chou
Chih-Dou
CD
Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Yien
Huey-Wen
HW
Wu
Der-Min
DM
Kuo
Cheng-Deng
CD
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D012709:Serum Albumin