A recent meta-analysis unveiled a significant correlation between preoperative serum albumin levels and postoperative outcomes following cardiac surgery. The findings were published in the Surgery Today journal which explored the critical role of serum albumin in predicting patient survival and complication rates.
This study encompassed data from twenty separate studies involving over 22,000 patients who underwent cardiac surgery and compared the outcomes between the individuals with normal serum albumin levels and the individuals with hypoalbuminemia. Hypoalbuminemia (low serum albumin levels) was found to be the concerning risk factor for adverse postoperative events.

The key findings from the meta-analysis revealed that patients with hypoalbuminemia underwent a substantially elevated risk of long-term all-cause mortality when compared to those with normal levels of albumin. The hazard ratio for serious long-term mortality was recorded at 1.95 with a corresponding risk ratio of 1.91 for increased mortality that highlights the gravity of this relationship.
The hypoalbuminemia patients were found to be more susceptible to postoperative complications, including bleeding, infections and renal injury. These complications not only posed immediate health risks but also prolonged the recovery times, as indicated by longer stays in the intensive care unit and overall hospitalization periods.
The findings of this study highlighted the need for adjusted perioperative serum albumin levels and targeted treatment strategies for high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Addressing hypoalbuminemia preemptively can help clinicians reduce the increased risks of mortality and postoperative complications by improving patient outcomes and survival rates. Further exploration and implementation of customized interventions could enable healthcare providers to enhance the safety and efficacy of cardiac procedures for patients undergoing cardiovascular challenges.
Reference:
Xu, R., Hao, M., Zhou, W., Liu, M., Wei, Y., Xu, J., & Zhang, W. (2022). Preoperative hypoalbuminemia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis. In Surgery Today (Vol. 53, Issue 8, pp. 861–872). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-022-02566-9