title: Serum albumin and health in older people: Review and meta analysis.
abstract: Albumin is the most abundant plasmatic protein. It is only produced by the liver and the full extent of its metabolic functions is not known in detail. One of the main roles assigned to albumin is as an indicator of malnutrition. There are many factors, in addition to nutrition, that influence levels of albumin in plasma. The main aim of this review is to assess the clinical significance of albumin in elderly people in the community, in hospital and in care homes. Following the review, it can be stated that age is not a cause of hypoalbuminemia. Albumin is a good marker of nutritional status in clinically stable people. Significant loss of muscle mass has been observed in elderly people with low albumin levels. Hypoalbuminemia is a mortality prognostic factor in elderly people, whether they live in the community or they are in hospital or institutionalized. Low levels of albumin are associated to worse recovery following acute pathologies. Inflammatory state and, particularly, high concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha, are two of the main influencing factors of hypoalbuminemia. In elderly patients with a hip fracture, albumin levels below 38 g/L are associated to a higher risk of post-surgery complications, especially infections. Further research is needed on the impact of nutritional intervention upon albumin levels and on the outcomes in elderly people in the community, in hospital and in care.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Service, Clinica Los Manzanos, Grupo Viamed, Calle Hermanos Maristas, 26140 Lardero, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cabrerizo
authors.affiliation: Servei d'Assessorament Metodològic i Estadístic a la RecercaUnitat de Recerca i Desenvolupament, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu - Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Dr. Antoni Pujades 42, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cuadras
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, Residencia San Prudencia, Calle Francia 35, 01002 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez-Busto
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, Orue Centro Socio Sanitario, Grupo Igurco, B° San Miguel Dudea s/n, 48340 Amorebieta, Spain.
authors.forename: Iñaki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Artaza-Artabe
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, Clinica Los Manzanos, Grupo Viamed, Calle Hermanos Maristas, 26140 Lardero, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marín-Ciancas
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, Clinica Los Manzanos, Grupo Viamed, Calle Hermanos Maristas, 26140 Lardero, Spain. Electronic address: vmalafarina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Malafarina
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000097:blood; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011379:Prognosis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin
keywords: Ageing; Body composition; Hypoalbuminemia; Nutritional screening; Protein energy malnutrition; Undernutrition