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22171 Albumin

Albumin
Test Code: ALB
Useful For
It is a marker of disorders of protein metabolism related to nutritional status, decreased synthesis and increased loss.
Specimen Requirements
Fasting Required Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
No​ Plasma​/Serum

Lithium-heparin Plasma Separator Tube (PST), Serum Separator Tube (SST)

Lithium or Sodium-heparin Green Top Tube (GTT), Red Top Tube (RTT)​ 1 mL​ 0.5 mL​ 0.1 mL​
Collection Processing Instructions
Separate plasma or serum from the blood within 60 minutes of venipuncture.
Venostasis should be avoided when collecting samples since hemoconcentration increases the apparent concentrations of albumin and other plasma proteins.
Samples collected in gel barrier tubes must be removed from primary tubes prior to transporting to Marshfield.
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma/Serum​ ​ ​ ​ Ambient​ 72 hours​
Refrigerate​ 7 days​
Frozen at -20 deg Celsius​ 6 months​
​Frozen at -70 deg Celsius ​Indefinitely
Rejection Criteria
Plasma in anticoagulant other than those stated above
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
Chippewa Falls​ ​Monday through Friday ​Less than 2 hours​ ​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
​Weston
 ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
Eau Claire​ ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
Park Falls
 ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
Ladysmith​ Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
​Lakeview Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
Marshfield​ Monday through Sunday​ Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
​Minocqua ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
​Neillsville​Monday through Sunday​Less than 2 hours​​​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
Stevens Point​ ​Monday through Friday ​Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU​
​Wisconsin Rapids ​Monday through Friday ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
Reference Range Information
Performing Location Reference Range
All Performing Sites using
Dimension Analyzers​
​             0 - 12 months:     2.4 - 4.6 g/dL
             >= 13 months:     3.3 - 5.0 g/dL ​
All Perfomring Sites using Beckman AU Analyzers​
                   0-14 days:       2.9-4.4 g/dL
             15 days-<1 yr:       2.6-4.9 g/dL
                      1-<8 yr:        3.7-4.8 g/dL
                    8-<15 yr:        3.9-5.0 g/dL
Female:         >=15 yr:        3.7-5.2 g/dL
Male:             >=15 yr:        4.0-5.4 g/dL
Reference intervals for patients <13 months have not been established. Albumin reference intervals are method- specific. Albumin values determined by the dye-binding methods (bromcresol green/bromcresol purple) may not be identical to the albumin values determined by protein electrophoresis.​
Interpretation
Albumin plays an important role in the maintenance of the colloid osmotic pressure of the blood, and in transport of various ions, acids, and hormones, and in nutrition. Hypoalbuminemia is caused by several factors: impaired synthesis either due to liver disease (primary) or due to diminished protein intake (secondary); increased catabolism as a result of tissue damage and inflammation; malabsorption of amino acids; or increased renal excretion (e.g., nephrotic syndrome).
When albumin levels are decreased to about 2.0g/dL, edema is often observed because of the consequent decrease of colloid osmotic pressure.
Hyperalbuminemia is of little diagnostic significance except in the case of dehydration.
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
82040 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Ordering Applications
Ordering Application Description
​Centricity ​Albumin
​Cerner ​Albumin Level (COMMON)
​COM ​Albumin
If the ordering application you are looking for is not listed, contact your local laboratory for assistance.
Specimen Requirements
Fasting Required Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
No​ Plasma​/Serum

Lithium-heparin Plasma Separator Tube (PST), Serum Separator Tube (SST)

Lithium or Sodium-heparin Green Top Tube (GTT), Red Top Tube (RTT)​ 1 mL​ 0.5 mL​ 0.1 mL​
Collection Processing
Separate plasma or serum from the blood within 60 minutes of venipuncture.
Venostasis should be avoided when collecting samples since hemoconcentration increases the apparent concentrations of albumin and other plasma proteins.
Samples collected in gel barrier tubes must be removed from primary tubes prior to transporting to Marshfield.
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma/Serum​ ​ ​ ​ Ambient​ 72 hours​
Refrigerate​ 7 days​
Frozen at -20 deg Celsius​ 6 months​
​Frozen at -70 deg Celsius ​Indefinitely
Rejection Criteria
Plasma in anticoagulant other than those stated above
Useful For
It is a marker of disorders of protein metabolism related to nutritional status, decreased synthesis and increased loss.
Reference Range Information
Performing Location Reference Range
All Performing Sites using
Dimension Analyzers​
​             0 - 12 months:     2.4 - 4.6 g/dL
             >= 13 months:     3.3 - 5.0 g/dL ​
All Perfomring Sites using Beckman AU Analyzers​
                   0-14 days:       2.9-4.4 g/dL
             15 days-<1 yr:       2.6-4.9 g/dL
                      1-<8 yr:        3.7-4.8 g/dL
                    8-<15 yr:        3.9-5.0 g/dL
Female:         >=15 yr:        3.7-5.2 g/dL
Male:             >=15 yr:        4.0-5.4 g/dL
Reference intervals for patients <13 months have not been established. Albumin reference intervals are method- specific. Albumin values determined by the dye-binding methods (bromcresol green/bromcresol purple) may not be identical to the albumin values determined by protein electrophoresis.​
Interpretation
Albumin plays an important role in the maintenance of the colloid osmotic pressure of the blood, and in transport of various ions, acids, and hormones, and in nutrition. Hypoalbuminemia is caused by several factors: impaired synthesis either due to liver disease (primary) or due to diminished protein intake (secondary); increased catabolism as a result of tissue damage and inflammation; malabsorption of amino acids; or increased renal excretion (e.g., nephrotic syndrome).
When albumin levels are decreased to about 2.0g/dL, edema is often observed because of the consequent decrease of colloid osmotic pressure.
Hyperalbuminemia is of little diagnostic significance except in the case of dehydration.
For more information visit:
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
Chippewa Falls​ ​Monday through Friday ​Less than 2 hours​ ​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
​Weston
 ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
Eau Claire​ ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
Park Falls
 ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
Ladysmith​ Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
​Lakeview Medical Center ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
Marshfield​ Monday through Sunday​ Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
​Minocqua ​Monday through Sunday​ ​Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU
​Neillsville​Monday through Sunday​Less than 2 hours​​​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
Stevens Point​ ​Monday through Friday ​Less than 2 hours​ Bromcresol Green (BCG) dye binding indicator endpoint assay/Beckman AU​
​Wisconsin Rapids ​Monday through Friday ​Less than 2 hours​ ​​Spectrophotometric/Bromocresol Purple (BCP)/Siemens Dimension
For billing questions, see Contacts
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
82040 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
For most current information refer to the Marshfield Laboratory online reference manual.