Abstract
Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether or not lingering low serum albumin (Alb) disturbed the recovery from locomotion disability induced during the hospitalization in patients with disuse syndrome.
Methods: We recruited patients who had to rest on a bed with fasting after admission and showed Alb of 2.5 g/dL during hospitalization. The patients were eligible for this study, if they could orally eat foods and independently walk at home before admission. Consequently, 108 patients were enrolled in the study and were divided into 2 groups according to their walking ability at discharge. Eighty patients could walk independently in the ward at discharge in group A and the remaining 28 could not walk independently in group B. We measured Alb several times during hospitalization and used the concentrations on admission and at discharge, and the minimum Alb during hospitalization. We compared Alb at the three measurement points between the 2 groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether lower serum Alb was an independent limiting factor for walking disability.
Results: The Alb measured at discharge was significantly lower in the group B than in the group A (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that lower Alb was an independent limiting factor for walking disability (odds ratio, 6.136; 95% confidence interval, 1.175-32.04; P = 0.031).
Conclusion: Lingering low Alb disturbed the recovery from locomotion disability induced during the hospitalization in patients with disuse syndrome.
