Low serum albumin levels have an independent association with an increased risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), suggests a new study published online in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation. The association has been found to be independent of chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk factors, including baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR).

In the study involving community-dwelling adults, ESRD was 61% and 69% more likely to develop among individuals with serum albumin levels in the first and second quartiles (below 4.0 and 4.0–4.1 g/dL), respectively, in comparison with those having levels in the fourth quartile (4.4 g/dL or higher) in a fully adjusted model. There was a 16% increased risk of ESRD with each 0.33 g/dL reduction in serum albumin level.  

Researchers stated that this is the first study that has shown an association between serum albumin concentrations and ESRD while accounting for urine ACR in a community-dwelling adult population.