Longitudinal changes of serum albumin in elderly people living in the community.

The relationship of serum albumin at baseline to mortality, and longitudinal changes of serum albumin were investigated in a 10-year longitudinal study of 421 (197 men, 224 women) community residents aged 69-71. The 10-year survival rate was the lowest in the first quartile of serum albumin at baseline, followed by the second quartile, and third and fourth quartiles (p less than 0.05). In both sexes, 10-year survival curves did not differ between the group with diseases or disabilities at baseline or over time and the group without them.