The nurse is assessing the patient for nutritional status. Which laboratory value may indicate compromised protein status?
a. Serum albumin level of 4.0 g/dL
b. Prealbumin level of 12 g/dL
c. Total lymphocyte count of 1600 cells/mm3
d. Prealbumin level of 35 g/dL
B
Prealbumin normally ranges from 20 to 50 mg/dL. This test is useful for monitoring short-term changes in visceral protein (Grodner et al, 2004). It has a short half-life of 2 days. A patient has compromised protein status when levels are between 10 and 15 g/dL. Normal serum albumin values are between 3.5 and 5.0 g/dL. For nutritional analysis, values between 2.8 and 3.5 g/dL indicate compromised protein status. Total lymphocyte count (TLC) is a useful measure of immune function. A normal TLC is greater than 1500 cells/mm3 . You must assess a measure of TLC along with other diagnostic indicators. A count of less than 1500/mm3 indicates possible immunocompromise associated with protein-energy malnutrition.
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