Psychosomatics 1991; 32:317-323
Copyright © 1991 by Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH REPORTS |
Hypoalbuminemia in delirium
LR Dickson
Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington 40536-0080.
The charts of 100 delirious patients seen by a psychiatric consultation
service were reviewed. The most common chronic medical problems included
diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while infections and trauma were the
most common acute problems. The most frequent laboratory abnormality was
hypoalbuminemia, appearing in 66% of those tested. Hypoalbuminemic patients
were more likely to have a combination of medical problems, long hospital
stays, and increased mortality, while patients with normal albumin were
more likely to have drug toxicities and short hospital stays. While
hypoalbuminemia develops because of many physiological processes, the data
suggest that more attention should be paid to nutrition and serum transport
capability in medical patients.
