Abstract

The primary purpose of this article is to report the latest medical research on hypoalbuminemia (low serum albumin) and its association with the following postsurgical outcomes: (a) impaired wound healing, (b) prolonged hospitalization, (c) higher complication rates, and (d) possible systemic infection (leading to), (e) higher mortality and morbidity, and (f) increased health care burden. Additionally, this article will address hypoalbuminemia in terms of: (a) pathogenesis (b) prevalence, (c) clinical significance and (d) management. A six-item true or false quiz in the beginning of the article serves as a primer to orient the readers with their understanding of the material.

Keywords: Serum albumin; Hypoalbuminemia; Postoperative outcomes; Inflammation; Infection; Sepsis; Malnutrition; Malnourished; Orthopaedic surgery

List of Abbreviations and Definitions: mg/kg: Milligram Per Kilogram; g/dL: Grams Per Deciliter; g/L: Grams Per Liter, AKI: Acute Kidney Infection; ICU: Intensive Care Unit; NF: Necrotizing Fasciitis; SSI: Surgical Site Infection; SII: Superficial Incisional Infection; SSTI: Skin and Soft-Tissue Infection; DII: Deep Incisional Infection; DTI: Deep Tissue Infection; GI: Gastrointestinal; MD: Mean Deviation; BMI: Body Mass Index; THA: Total Hip Arthroplasty; MR: Mendelian Randomization; RR: Relative Risk; IFP: Infection Following A Procedure; IMN: Intramedullary Nailing; FSR: Fractional Synthesis Rates; PLE: Protein-Losing Enteropathy; CMP: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel; BUN: Blood Urea Nitrogen; IV: Intravenous; OR: Odds Ratio; CI: Confidence Interval