The healthcare provider prescribed several laboratory tests for a client as part of a nutritional assessment. Which laboratory test provide the most accurate information regarding current nutritional status?
a. Albumin
b. Transferrin
c. Prealbumin
d. Total lymphocyte count
c. Prealbumin
Albumin, prealbumin, and transferring are classified as plasma proteins. Each of these proteins has a different half-life. Plasma proteins with short half-lives provide more current information about a client's nutritional status. Albumin has a long half-life, so it is not a very sensitive marker. Transferrin has a shorter half-life than albumin, but it is still not the best marker for nutritional status. The half-life of prealbumin is the shortest of the three plasma proteins and it can be used to evaluate a client's current nutritional status. The total lymphocyte count is more useful to measure immunocompetence and is not used to measure a client's nutritional status.
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