Albumin

Albumin

Measured by bromocresol green dye binding
Reference: 22-35 (dog) 25-39 (cat)
Hyperalbuminaemia
1. Haemoconcentration in dehydration
2. False elevations from lipaemia, hyperbilirubinaemia, haemolysis.
3. Anabolic steroids and Corticosteroids
Hypoalbuminaemia -causing ascites and oedema (also seen in portal vein hypertension)
1. Physiological
  1. Young animal
  2. Can reduce in pregnancy
2. Decreased Synthesis (liver is only production site so albumin can crudely estimate liver function, but one of last functions to fail)
  1. Hepatic insufficiency (most common): Normal/increased globulin, variable enzyme changes/liver function tests
  2. Maldigestion or maldigestion
    1. Protein changes usually subtle unless severe restriction. Exclude other causes as these as a sole cause are rare
  3. Malabsorption
3. Increased loss
  1. Protein losing enteropathies (preferentially lost because small severe dz lose globs too)
    1. Difficult to confirm on clin path alone but c/signs. Decrease in globulins support diagnosis ddx: intestinal neoplasia, severe IBD and lymphangiectasia
  2. Protein losing nephropathies
    1. Normal globulin
    2. Proteinuria without inflammatory sediment
    3. Increased protein:creatinine ration
  3. Cutaneous lesions (burns)
  4. External haemorrhage
4. Sequestration
  1. Loss into a body cavity
5. Thyroxine causes a catabolic state so can marginally lower TP

Resource summary

	Created by Shrea Patel over 12 years ago