Hypoalbuminemia as a predictor of mortality in abdominal sepsis

Background: A level < 35 g/L of albumin (hypoalbuminemia) has been determined as a parameter to predict mortality and morbidity.Methods: This was a prospective observational study, in a period of 12 months, to patients diagnosed with sepsis of abdominal origin, they are divided into two groups based on albumin levels (cut: 3.5 g/dL) to assess mortality between both groups.Results: We studied 23 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).The mean albumin was 2.77 g/dL (± 0.71).When calculating the odds ratio (OR) that was a 23-fold greater risk of dying when hypoalbuminemia presented compared to the normal albumin group (OR = 23.3;95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.948-279.42).The mean albumin for patients who died was 2.04 g/dL (± 0.31) versus 3.03 g/dL (± 0.35) (p = 0.02; 95% CI: -1.551--0.416).We do not assess morbidity, however, we identify a certain tendency to a longer stay in the ICU which is accompanied by a higher risk of complications and in the end a higher risk of mortality.Conclusions: We conclude that hypoalbuminemia represents a predictor of mortality in patients with abdominal sepsis.