SERUM ALBUMIN

3.2 – 5.0 g/dl

• This tests helps in determining if a patient has liver disease or kidney disease, or If not enough protein is being absorbed by the body. 
• Also in Evaluation of nutritional status, blood oncotic pressure and other chronic diseases. 
• Albumin is the protein of the highest concentration in Plasma. Albumin keeps fluid from leaking out of blood vessels, nourishes tissues, and transport hormones, vitamins , drugs and substances like calcium throughout the body.
• It is also of prime importance in maintaining the oncotic pressue of the blood ( i.e keeping the fluid from leaking out into the tissues ). This is because unlike small molecules such as sodium and chloride, the concentration of albumin in the blood is much than it is in the extracellular fluid.

• When there is s/s of liver disease ( weakness , fatigue , loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting , Jaundice, Dark urine, light coloured stools, pruritus, swelling in the legs and ankles, tendency to bruise easily)
• When there is s/s of Nephrotic syndrome (swelling or puffiness, particularly around the eyes, foamy urine, coffee coloured urine , decreased amount of Urine , Hypertension etc.)
• To check nutritional status
• The test may be performed in cases of Diabetic nephropathy/sclerosis, Hepatic encephalopathy , Hepato renal syndrome ,Membranous nephropathy , Tropical sprue ,Wilson's disease

• Dehydration

• Ascites 
• Burns (extensive) 
• Glomerulonephritis 
• Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, or hepato cellular necrosis "tissue death")
• Malabsorption syndromes (Crohn's disease, sprue, or Whipple's disease)
• Malnutrition
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Rapid Intravenous hydration
• Protein losing enteropathy — Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Neoplasia
• Chronic Inflammatory diseases
• Pregnancy
• Oral Contraceptives 
• Prolonged immobility