Albumin administration in the acutely ill: what is new and where next?

• Published in: Critical care (London, England) England), 2014-07, Vol.18 (4), p.231-231, Article 231
• Main Authors: Vincent, Jean-Louis, Russell, James A, Jacob, Matthias, Martin, Greg, Guidet, Bertrand, Wernerman, Jan, Ferrer, Ricard, Roca, Ricard Ferrer, McCluskey, Stuart A, Gattinoni, Luciano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Albumin; Albumins - adverse effects; Albumins - history; Albumins - physiology; Albumins - therapeutic use; Brain Injuries; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Critical Care - methods; Critical Care - standards; Critical Illness - therapy; Evidence-based medicine; Fluid Therapy - adverse effects; Fluid Therapy - methods; Fluid Therapy - standards; Health aspects; History, 20th Century; Human health and pathology; Humans; Hypoalbuminemia - complications; Hypoalbuminemia - etiology; Hypoalbuminemia - therapy; Life Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Physiological aspects; Resuscitation - methods; Review; Sepsis - therapy
• ISSN: 1364-8535; 1466-609X; 1466-609X; 1364-8535
• DOI: 10.1186/cc13991

Albumin solutions have been used worldwide for the treatment of critically ill patients since they became commercially available in the 1940s. However, their use has become the subject of criticism and debate in more recent years. Importantly, all fluid solutions have potential benefits and drawbacks. Large multicenter randomized studies have provided valuable data regarding the safety of albumin solutions, and have begun to clarify which groups of patients are most likely to benefit from their use. However, many questions remain related to where exactly albumin fits within our fluid choices. Here, we briefly summarize some of the physiology and history of albumin use in intensive care before offering some evidence-based guidance for albumin use in critically ill patients.