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Comparative Study
. 2016 Jul;212(1):109-15.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2015.06.013. Epub 2015 Aug 12.

Hypoalbuminemia at admission is associated with increased incidence of in-hospital complications in geriatric trauma patients

Tabitha Garwe  1 , Roxie M Albrecht  2 , Julie A Stoner  3 , Stephanie Mitchell  2 , Prasenjeet Motghare  3
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Hypoalbuminemia at admission is associated with increased incidence of in-hospital complications in geriatric trauma patients

Tabitha Garwe et al. Am J Surg. 2016 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Elderly patients are at an increased risk of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) which increases the risk of morbidity/mortality. We evaluated the association between hypoalbuminemia at the time of emergency department (ED) admission and in-hospital complications among geriatric trauma patients.

Methods: This was an ambidirectional cohort study of geriatric (≥55 years) trauma patients treated at a Level I trauma center between May 2013 and March 2014. The exposure of interest was albumin level at ED admission (<3.6 g/dL [PEM] or ≥3.6 g/dL (No PEM)]. The outcome of interest was 30-day incidence of complications.

Results: A total of 130 patients met study eligibility. Of these, 85 (65%) patients were in the PEM group. After adjusting for tube feeding and injury severity score, PEM at admission was associated with a 2-fold increase in the risk of 30-day overall hospital complications (hazard ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.8).

Conclusion: Serum albumin level at ED admission, but not prealbumin level, is a significant predictor of in-hospital complications in geriatric trauma patients.

Keywords: Complications; Geriatric trauma; Hypoalbuminemia; In-hospital; Protein–energy malnutrition.

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