Overview of Albumin Physiology and its Role in Pediatric Diseases

This article aims to review albumin physiology and kinetics in children, albumin ’s impact on pediatric diseases, and the utility of albumin as a predictor of clinical outcome.Recent FindingsHypoalbuminemia is seen in a wide range of conditions, including protein-losing enteropathy, hepatic synthetic failure, malnutrition, inflammatory states, and renal disease. While the impact of hypoalbuminemia has been more extensively studied in adult patients, there is a relative paucity of literature in the pediatric population.SummaryHypoalbuminemia is a marker of poor outcome in critically ill children and those undergoing a wide range of medical interventions. Albumin infusions may be an effective therapy for fluid resuscitation and for patients with severe hypoalbuminemia.
Source: Current Gastroenterology Reports - Category: Gastroenterology Source Type: research