Association Between Serum Albumin Levels and Clinical Outcomes in Burn Patients: A Single-center Retrospective Analysis.

Objectives: Severe burns often result in significant intravascular albumin loss, leading to hypoalbuminemia. This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum albumin levels and clinical outcomes in burn patients.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted at Velayat Hospital (Rasht, Iran), including burn patients aged ≥16 years, who were admitted between April 2019 and March 2020. Serum albumin levels were recorded on day 1, day 7, and at discharge. The main variables analyzed included albumin levels, length of hospital stay, skin graft rate, need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality.

Results: Among the 74 patients included in the study, 14 (18.9%) died, while 60 (81.1%) survived. The mean serum albumin levels on days 1, 7, and at discharge were significantly higher in survivors (3.09±0.22, 3.12±0.23, and 3.18±0.28 g/dL, respectively) than non-survivors (2.22±0.29, 2.74±0.29, and 2.07±0.69 g/dL, respectively) at all time points (<0.001). The serum albumin level measured on day 1 was significantly lower in patients who required mechanical ventilation than in those who did not (2.86±0.47 vs.3.09±0.13, =0.03). Additionally, a significant inverse relationship was observed between serum albumin levels and both total body surface area burned (TBSA) and graft extent (day 1: r=-0.76, day 7: r=-0.74, discharge: r=-0.62; <0.001 for TBSA; and day 1: r=-0.59, day 7: r=-0.58, discharge: r=-0.50; <0.001 for graft extent).

Conclusion: Hypoalbuminemia was associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with severe burns. Serum albumin levels might serve as a specific marker of burn severity and a predictor of mortality.