Serum albumin is incrementally associated with increased mortality across varying levels of kidney function

Abstract Background Serum albumin (sAlb) may be a strong predictor of longevity in the general population and in chronic kidney disease. Objective To determine the relationship between sAlb concentrations and mortality risk independent of kidney function. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 31,274 adults from the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was examined as both a confounder and modifier of the association of sAlb with mortality risk. We examined the association of sAlb (categorized as Results In unadjusted analyses, participants with incrementally lower sAlb concentrations Conclusion Among a nationally representative US cohort, there was a graded association between lower sAlb concentrations with higher death risk, which was robust across varying levels of kidney function.