Your patient has significant lower extremity edema. Would his albumin levels likely be low or high?

In cases of significant lower extremity edema, the albumin levels are likely to be low. Albumin is a protein produced by the liver that helps maintain oncotic pressure, which is crucial for keeping fluid within the vascular space. Adequate levels of albumin prevent excessive fluid from leaking into the interstitial spaces, where it can accumulate and cause edema.

When albumin levels are low, often due to malnutrition, liver disease, or kidney problems, the oncotic pressure is reduced. Consequently, fluid moves out of the blood vessels into surrounding tissues, leading to conditions such as edema. Therefore, if a patient is experiencing significant lower extremity edema, it is indicative that their albumin levels are likely insufficient to retain fluid within the circulatory system.

In other contexts, elevated levels of albumin would not contribute to edema; instead, normal or high levels would help prevent such fluid accumulation. Variable albumin levels could indicate fluctuating health conditions but wouldn’t accurately represent the typical situation seen in a patient with significant edema. Thus, the expectation of low albumin aligns well with the symptoms presented in this patient scenario.