Is a prealbumin level of 125 mg/L severely low?
Sep 04, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Shuwen
Introduction
In general, a prealbumin level of 125 mg/L is considered quite low. Normally, the prealbumin value for infants aged 1 year is around 100 mg/L, for children aged 1–3 years it ranges from 168 to 281 mg/L, and for adults the normal range is 280–360 mg/L. If a patient has abnormal prealbumin levels, it is recommended to seek medical attention at a hospital promptly.
In general, a prealbumin level of 125 mg/L is considered quite low and severe. A prealbumin level of 125 mg/L usually indicates that the patient may have developed an underlying disease, and it is recommended to visit a hospital for further evaluation. The detailed analysis is as follows:
Prealbumin is synthesized by hepatocytes. During electrophoretic separation, it migrates ahead of albumin and has a very short half-life of approximately 1.9 days. Normally, prealbumin levels are around 100 mg/L in infants aged 1 year, 168–281 mg/L in children aged 1–3 years, and 280–360 mg/L in adults. Therefore, a prealbumin level of 125 mg/L is abnormal for both infants and adults.
Decreased levels of prealbumin and albumin are mostly due to a hypermetabolic state throughout the body or poor nutritional status, in which normal liver synthesis cannot meet the metabolic demands of the body. Clinically, low prealbumin may indicate high catabolic states, such as severe malnutrition, chronic severe infections, or advanced malignancies, or reduced production, such as in acute severe hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other liver diseases.
If a patient presents with abnormal prealbumin levels, it is advisable to promptly seek medical evaluation at a hospital, complete relevant tests, and receive symptomatic treatment under medical guidance to avoid delays in diagnosis and management.
