Association of a low serum albumin with infection and increased mortality in critically ill patients.

214 patients among 282 consecutive admissions had at least one measurement of serum albumin (SA) during their stay on the ICU and were classified according to their lowest value of SA. Mean SA was 2.88 /+- 0.74 g/100 mg. Survivors had a mean SA (3.18 /+- 0.60) higher than non-survivors (2.35 /+- 0.68 g/100 ml) (p < 0.05). 64% of patients were admitted with an abnormally low SA (less than 3.5 g/100 ml) and in 56% of these the initial value was higher than the last. Mortality increased in the groups with lower SA and the level of SA was associated with infection (x2 = 73.9) and mortality (x2 = 69.7) (p < 0.05). The percentage of infected patients who died increased in groups with lower SA.