Determination of whether the association between serum albumin and activities of daily living in frail elderly people is causal

Abstract

This 2-year cohort study has demonstrated that a decrease in serum albumin levels is associated with a decrease in ADL levels. A third factor may play a role in adversely affecting both serum albumin and ADL levels in frail elderly people.

Serum albumin and health in older people: Review and meta analysis

“…For some authors there is a direct link between albumin concentration and strength loss over two years [40], whilst in other studies this association presented no statistical significance [34,41].…”

“…Thus, in elderly people with functional disability and albumin <35 g/L it was found that malnutrition prevalence was 70%, whilst in autonomous elderly people with albumin concentrations >35 g/L, the prevalence of malnutrition was only 13% [31][32][33][34][35][36].…”

“…Albumin concentration is associated to muscle strength measured by handgrip in transversal studies [34,40,41]. For some authors there is a direct link between albumin concentration and strength loss over two years [40], whilst in other studies this association presented no statistical significance [34,41].…”

“…Both transversal [32][33][34] and longitudinal studies [12,35] have demonstrated that lower albumin values are associated to greater disability in the ADL. Similarly, progressive reduction of albuminemia is associated to the development of greater inability than in those elderly people who maintain a stable level of albumin [32].…”

Serum albumin and total cholesterol as prognostic factors of mortality in very old patients hospitalized by acute illness

“…The association between the ability to perform basic activities of daily living and albumin has been studied recently, noting a direct correlation between poor functional status and lower levels of albumin [10]. Backgrounds and aims: To analyze whether serum cholesterol and albumin may be factors associated with early and late mortality, independent from other variables such as comorbidity, functional and mental status, in very old patients admitted with acute illness.…”