Assessment of prealbumin in hemodialysis and renal-transplant patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed prealbumin in hemodialysis (HD) and renal-transplant (RT) patients, and compared it with other biochemical and anthropometric markers, clinical conditions, and treatment variables.


DESIGN
We used a research design.


PATIENTS
Serum prealbumin was measured in 84 HD patients with a mean age of 60.47 +/- 17.81 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.38 +/- 4.87 kg/m(2), and in 154 RT patients with a mean age of 44.08 +/- 13.59 years and a mean BMI of 24.97 +/- 3.87 kg/m(2). Renal-transplant patients were divided into three groups, based on year of renal transplantation (first year, first to second year, and third to tenth year). Serum albumin, creatinine, cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, white blood cells, BMI, midarm circumference, and triceps and biceps skinfolds were measured.


RESULTS
Prealbumin levels were significantly higher in HD patients compared with RT patients. Both groups had prealbumin levels <30 mg/dL, but almost all RT patients in our study had prealbumin levels <20 mg/dL. Gender, age, and presence of anemia, hypertension, and diabetes did not significantly affect prealbumin levels in the two groups. Prealbumin levels were significantly positively correlated with duration of dialysis in the HD group and with albumin in the RT group.


CONCLUSIONS
Hemodialysis patients have higher levels of prealbumin compared with RT patients. Prealbumin levels are below normal range in both groups of patients. Prealbumin reflects nutritional status in RT patients, but is also affected by other factors.