Prealbumin Blood Test
Reviewed
Also called: thyroxine binding prealbumin, PA, transthyretin test, transthyretin, tryptophan-rich prealbumin
A prealbumin blood test measures prealbumin levels in your blood. Prealbumin is a protein that's made in your liver and is found in your blood.
Specimen: blood
Why this test may be ordered
- To help diagnose and monitor nutritional health problems
- Before surgery
- If you have symptoms of malnutrition such as weight loss, weakness, dizziness, dry skin, brittle hair, feeling cold, or aching joints
Preparation and collection
You don't need any special preparations for a prealbumin test. Certain medicines may affect the results of your test. Tell your provider about everything you take. But don't stop taking any medicines unless your provider tells you to.
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
Understanding results
If your prealbumin levels are not normal, it doesn't always mean you have a condition that needs treatment. Certain medicines and pregnancy can affect your prealbumin levels.
- Lower than normal: Prealbumin levels that are lower than normal may happen with: Malnutrition, Inflammation, Trauma, such as a burn injury, Serious or long-term illness, such as cancer, Liver disease, Serious infection, Hyperthyroidism, Certain digestive diseases. Limitation: If you have low prealbumin levels and you are ill, injured, or recovering from surgery, it may be difficult to know exactly what is causing the low levels. Next step: Your provider may need to do other tests to find out more about your nutritional health.
- Higher than normal: Prealbumin levels that are higher than normal may happen with several conditions, including: Hodgkin disease, Kidney failure, Alcohol use disorder (AUD), High-dose corticosteroid therapy. Limitation: Prealbumin testing is not used to diagnose or monitor these conditions. Next step: If you have high prealbumin levels, your provider may order other tests to diagnose your condition.
- Low prealbumin may be caused by inflammation, infection, or injury rather than malnutrition.
- Many experts now believe this test should not be used to measure nutrition levels or test for malnutrition.
- Abnormal results do not always mean you have a condition that needs treatment; pregnancy and certain medicines can affect levels.
- More research is needed to understand what abnormal results may mean.
What to do next
If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
- What might be causing my prealbumin level to be low or high?
- Do I need additional tests to check my nutritional health or other conditions?
- How often should I have this test repeated?
Evidence source
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). Practices and reference ranges may differ in your country.