[dianaiad]

Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by dianaiad on Thu Sep 18, 2014 7:01 pm

On Wednesday I had several blood tests, and due to something or other, one test was done twice: albumin. I have no idea why.

The thing is, the blood for these tests was drawn at the same time, from the same arm, same 'stick..'

And two different results.

One reads 3.65 g/dl, and the other 3.3 g/dl.

It's not the first time this has happened. Once before, under very similar circumstances, the results were 3.8 and 4.1 g/dl.

I guess that the differences between them are probably not that big a deal, but I was wondering why there is a difference? All the above readings are 'normal,' so I'm not worried about 'em. I'm just curious as to how that works. Anybody here know?

[AliceNorth]

Re: Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by AliceNorth on Thu Sep 18, 2014 7:42 pm

Hi

Every so often, I need to do bloods for two different departments in the the same hospital at the same time - haematology and renal. Because of a change in budget allocations, I am required to give two sets of bloods. I, too, often get differing results. Sometimes, this means I will have a normal result and a not normal result - either over or under.

This really bothered me to start with, but my haematologist wasn't bothered and simply passed it off as the two samples being tested in two different pieces of equipment which would, inevitably, be calibrated slightly differently.

Albumin is one of those test results that has differed on those occasions. For example, I certainly recall having a 2 g/l difference (e.g., 40 and 43). The way I always look at it is that the 40 might well have been closer to 41, and the 43 was closer to 42. Ttherefore, probably not much difference at all!

A

[Rneb]

Re: Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by Rneb on Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:22 pm

Perhaps one was hemolyzed, and one was not...or one was repeated.?

The good side is that they are both good results.

Add 'em up, average them, and smile.

[dianaiad]

Re: Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by dianaiad on Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:10 pm

Oh, yeah, they are all pretty much good results. I'm happy about that. I just got bit by the curiosity bug. I do that from time to time.

[Dr. James Hoffman]

Re: Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by Dr. James Hoffman on Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:41 pm

FYI … Albumin is commonly measured by one method as part of the comprehensive metabolic profile (or CMP). However, in MGUS / myeloma patients, it also is measured using another method as part of the SPEP.

So it's not unusual to see two different albumin measurements from these two different sets of tests.

[dianaiad]

Re: Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by dianaiad on Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:45 pm

Cool. Which one 'counts,' and why the difference?

(Sorry. Again, my curiosity bump really is itching here.)

[Dr. James Hoffman]

Re: Albumin test results - a 'huh, that's odd' question

by Dr. James Hoffman on Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:46 am

Looks like this issue was addressed here in the forum last year, and there's a pretty good answer in the discussion:

"Albumin: Serum Protein Electrophoresis vs. CBC Values," Beacon forum thread started Oct 7, 2013

The key text in the discussion is this explanation:

The reason for the difference is the following:

The SPE value for albumin is INDIRECT, because it is based only on the direct total protein value from the Metabolic Panel. This is why the sum of all the values from the SPEP equals the total protein value. Check it out. It is not a coincidence.

So if your DIRECT protein value is higher on a particular blood draw day so will be the INDIRECT albumin value (and all other SPE values for that matter). The SPEP albumin value is therefore deemed less accurate and less reliable for this reason.

In contrast, the albumin value in the Metabolic Panel has its own DIRECT measure­ment method and so is deemed more accurate and reliable.