PMID: 15374381Jul 1, 1992Paper

'Correction' of serum calcium values for albumin biased in geriatric patients

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Antti J Sorva

Abstract

Determination of serum ionized calcium concentration (Cal) is more tedious as a screening method than measuring serum total calcium concentration (CaT) and is not widely practicable. Thus, in clinical practice and even in research, it is customary to 'correct' the serum total calcium concentration (CaT) for that of albumin (Alb) to estimate the 'true' calcemic status,i.e. Cal. However, owing to confounding factors that are incompletely understood at present, the 'corrected' result is imprecise. The hypothesis of the present study was that in geriatric hypoalbuminemia, it could even be biased due to confounding factors associated with aging and related to the Alb level itself. To test this hypothesis, CaT, Alb and Cal were measured in 558 consecutive geriatric in-patients with varying degrees of hypoalbuminemia. The lower the Alb level, the more strikingly the sensitivity of CaT for detecting low Cal was impaired by the correction. In geriatric hypoalbuminemia, the correction is not merely imprecise but even biased (inaccurate). The bias increases with the degree of hypoalbuminemia (i.e. with the need for correction) and leads to underdiagnosis of 'true' (ionic) hypocalcemia.

References

Jul 16, 1979·Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry·K Spencer, C P Price
Jun 1, 1978·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·J H LadensonJ C Boyd
Mar 5, 1977·British Medical Journal
Dec 13, 1975·British Medical Journal·R W PainB M Duncan
Jan 1, 1976·Current Medical Research and Opinion·C W ImrieJ C Ferguson
Mar 1, 1989·Calcified Tissue International·L J Sokoll, B Dawson-Hughes
May 1, 1989·Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation·J ThodeO Siggaard-Andersen
Jul 1, 1989·Age and Ageing·A Sorva, R S Tilvis
Feb 1, 1988·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·M PalmérS Ljunghall
Oct 15, 1988·BMJ : British Medical Journal·L LindS Ljunghall
Oct 1, 1988·Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation·A SorvaR S Tilvis
Sep 1, 1986·Annals of Clinical Biochemistry·J P AshbyM G Rinsler
Dec 15, 1973·British Medical Journal·R B PayneJ R Milner
Aug 1, 1973·Age and Ageing·H M Hodkinson
Dec 1, 1971·Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry·D H Orrell
Apr 10, 1982·Lancet·H Kesteloot, J Geboers
Aug 18, 1984·Lancet·G A CampbellR V Boyd
Jan 1, 1983·Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation. Supplementum·J BraumanH Brauman
Jan 1, 1983·Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation. Supplementum·B M BuckleyA M Bold
Jul 22, 1982·The New England Journal of Medicine·D A McCarron
Dec 1, 1981·Journal of Clinical Pathology·A BesarabJ W Swanson
Dec 1, 1981·Journal of Clinical Pathology·A Besarab, J F Caro

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 6, 2008·International Urology and Nephrology·Josée BouchardVincent Pichette
Dec 1, 1994·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·A SorvaR Tilvis
Oct 13, 2009·Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries·Barbara KohutMette M Berger
Oct 1, 2014·European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience·Meghan MuldoonBradley D Pearce
Jun 15, 2017·Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation·Peter Ridefelt, Johanna Helmersson-Karlqvist

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.