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Prealbumin is a tetrameric protein with a molecular weight of 54000 Daltons. It functions as a transport protein for thyroxin and also transports Vitamin A in the presence of retinol binding protein. It has one the highest proportions of essential-to-nonessential amino acid ratios of any protein in the body. Protein has a small pool size and a short half-life in serum of 2 days.
This makes it a terrific marker for protein malnutrition.
Prealbumin quantification is used to evaluate protein malnutrition, total parenteral nutrition, and liver dysfunction. Values are decreased in inflammatory processes, malignancy, protein malnutrition, and protein wasting diseases of the gut or kidney. Values increase in Hodgkin disease
The expected normal values in humans are 18 - 36 mg/dL
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What does prealbumin test for?
nutrision needs
What color blood tube is used for prealbumin test?
red
What is the abnormal range in albumin?
Prealbumin expected normal values are between 18 to 36 mg/dL (180 to 360 mg/L). These values will change from laboratory to laboratory due to different techniques and instrumentation used but results will be close to above mentioned values.
How does a health care facility screen patients for nutritional risk?
Height and weight are obtained (plus BMI). Relevant labwork would include serum total protein level, albumin and prealbumin levels, CBC, and recordings of daily dietary intake of food and fluids (in order to assess adequate caloric and protein intake). Sometimes vitamin B12 and folic acid levels need to be checked. Past medical history of any condition and diseases, which might predispose to nutritional problems, is recorded as well (e.g. cancer, liver or kidney diseases, celiac disease, etc. etc.).
