Turnaround times
The quoted turnaround time is from sample receipt in the laboratory, to results authorisation in the Laboratory Information Management system. The times do not include transport of specimen to the laboratory or the administrative process to print and post/email reports. Service users must allow for transport and reporting time when ordering tests.
Clinical background:
Albumin is a carbohydrate-free protein, which constitutes 55-65% of total plasma protein. It maintains plasma oncotic pressure, and is also involved in the transport and storage of a wide variety of ligands and is a source of endogenous amino acids. Albumin binds and solubilises various compounds, e.g. bilirubin, calcium and long-chain fatty acids. It is also capable of binding toxic heavy metal ions as well as numerous pharmaceuticals. About half the plasma calcium is bound to albumin and hypoalbuminaemia is accompanied by hypocalcaemia. As this involves only the protein bound (physiologically inactive) fraction, symptoms of tetany do not develop.
Specimen container paediatric:
Serum
Specimen container adult:
Serum
Minimum volume paediatric:
0.5 mL blood
Minimum volume adult:
1 mL blood
Sample stability:
- Unseparated sample:
- 6 days
- Separated sample:
- at 15-25C: 2.5 months
- at 4ºC: 5 months
- at -20C: 4 months
Interpretation:
An abnormally high albumin level is found only with dehydration, or artefactually, in a sample taken with prolonged venous stasis.
Generally, only low albumin levels are of clinical interest. Hypoalbuminaemia occurs during many illnesses and is caused by several factors:
- Changes due to relative water excess. These are concentration changes only and do not indicate alterations in absolute amounts of protein.
- Overhydration
- Artefactual – blood taken from “drip” arm.
- Excessive loss of protein (mainly albumin)
- Through the kidney in Nephrotic Syndrome
- From the skin after severe burns
- Through the intestine in protein losing enteropathy.
- Decreased synthesis
- Severe dietary protein deficiency e.g. Kwashiorkor
- Severe liver disease
- Severe malabsorption
Reference ranges:
- < 1 yr: 30 – 45 g/L
- 1 – 16 yr: 30 – 50 g/L
- >16 yr: 35 – 50 g/L
Factors affecting result:
Plasma protein concentrations increase with excessive stasis during venepuncture; blood for albumin measurement should be collected with a minimum of stasis.
Other info:
Lithium heparin plasma sample also acceptable