[PaulaYvonne]

Albumin Lab question

by PaulaYvonne on Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:05 am

In reviewing my most recent MGUS-monitoring lab report, I found something (well lots of things, actually) I don't understand: under a grouping called CompMetab, Albumin Blood value is 4.5; under the SPEP grouping, the Albumin value is 3.7. Is this measuring the same thing? If so, why the difference?

[Kevin J]

Re: Albumin Lab question

by Kevin J on Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:47 pm

I cannot say for sure, but I reviewed one of my results and found SPEP Albumin Result = 3.8, and COMP Albumin Level = 4.1, but the "normal range" for both was listed as 3.5-4.9 leading me to believe they're measuring the same thing. The difference is probably due to the type of test being performed and how sensitive it is, or even that the tests may have been performed by different people. My father-in-law use to work in the blood culture industry and has related to me how blood tests can be vary due to equipment, personnel, the type of test, etc.

[Discrepancy]

Re: Albumin Lab question

by Discrepancy on Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:49 am

As it turns out -- according to the oncologist I see - the SPEP albumin level is not measured directly. Rather, it is based on: (1) the total protein measure; and (2) the ratio of peaks in the SPEP. The ratio of different peaks is then used to come up with the relative contribution of each to total protein. That is why the amount of the different peaks always adds up to the total protein. It is also why there are discrepancy - sometimes very significant -- between the level of albumin measured directly in the serum versus the amount estimated indirectly from the SPEP.

[PaulaYvonne]

Re: Albumin Lab question

by PaulaYvonne on Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:02 am

Thank you for the responses. Oddly enough, the normal ranges are different with the lab my onc uses. But neither value was out of range. I'm just curious. (I appreciated your recent column, Kevin.)

[Billy1]

Re: Albumin Lab question

by Billy1 on Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:19 pm

There have been a number of papers written on this exact subject. See a post I wrote titled "The ISS and Serum Albumin Tests" which is now on page 5 of this forum. From my perspective I always use the SPEP results for determination of Albumin levels.

Billy1