Factors determining the post-operative hypo-albuminaemia in cancer patients--stepwise regression analysis.

Aim: To investigate factors influencing post-operative hypo-albuminaemia in cancer patients, with special reference to low dose albumin and/or immunoglobulins administration. Patients and methods: In 270 patients with malignant neoplasms, who underwent extensive chest and/or abdominal surgery, albumin concentrations on the first four postoperative days were examined. One hundred and three high-risk patients received human immunoglobulins intravenously; 44 were given albumin. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to determine the factors influencing albuminaemia on the first four postoperative days. Results: Mean nadir of hypo-albuminaemia occurred on the third postoperative day. In the multivariate analysis, a positive correlation was found between postoperative albuminaemia and pre-operative albuminaemia (b = 0,4919; p = 0,0000) as well as male gender (b = 2,0939; p = 0,0025). A negative correlation was found with the duration of surgery (b = -0,0146; p = 0,0212), pre-operative plasma protein (b = -0,2118, p = 0,0130) and postoperative immunoglobulin administration (b = -1,8858, p = 0,0074). Conclusions: Postoperative alhuminaemia is positively correlated with pre-operative albuminaemia and male gender and negatively correlated with the duration of surgery, pre-operative proteinaemia and postoperative Ig administration.