BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the clinical value of serum albumin levels for the evaluation and prognosis of late preterm infants with infections.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study performed in late preterm infants admitted at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Liaocheng People’s Hospital between July 2012 and March 2013. Data, including laboratory test results, neonatal critical illness score (NCIS), perinatal complications and prognosis, were analyzed. The newborn infants were divided into 3 groups according to their serum albumin levels, (≥30 g/L, 25–30 g/L and ≤25 g/L for high, moderate, and low, respectively).

RESULTS: Among 257 patients, birth weight was 2003±348 g, gestational age was 35.7±2.3 weeks, and 59.1% were male. In addition, 127 (49.4%) were in the low albumin group. There were 32 patients with sepsis, 190 with infections, and 35 without infection, and their rates of hypoalbuminemia were 86.0%, 50.5%, and 30.7%, respectively (P<0.05). Albumin levels of the patients who survived were higher than those of the patients who died. In the low albumin group, the number of individual-event-critical NCIS cases and the frequency of multiple organs injuries were 63.8% and 28.3%, respectively, and were higher than in the 2 other groups. Mortality was higher in patients with sepsis. Hypoalbuminemia was associated with severe adverse outcomes (odds ratio=6.3, 95% confidence interval: 3.7–10.9, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Hypoalbuminemia was frequent among neonates with sepsis. Lower albumin levels might be associated with a poorer prognosis. Albumin levels could be appropriate for the diagnosis and prognosis of late preterm neonates with infections.

Keywords: Critical Illness, Birth Weight, Gestational Age, Hypoalbuminemia - complications, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Premature, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Intensive Care, Neonatal, Iodine Radioisotopes - chemistry, Multivariate Analysis, Odds Ratio, Pre-Eclampsia - blood, Pregnancy, Sepsis - complications, Serum Albumin - chemistry