THE RELATION OF ALBUMIN TO PRECIPITABLE IODINE OF SERUM 1

Abstract

In patients with profound hypoalbuminemia the precipitable iodine of the serum is often reduced to concns. as low as those found in myxedema, without clinical evidence of thyroid deficiency. Admn. of active thyroid substance in doses that are effective in the treatment of myxedema does not raise the precipitable iodine of these patients. Injns. of enough salt-poor human albumin to raise the serum albumin of these patients considerably, does not consistently raise, and more often decreases, the precipitable iodine. The significance and clinical implications of the serum iodine deficiency are discussed. Injn. of enough salt-poor human albumin to raise the serum albumin of patients with hypoalbuminemia considerably, causes the serum lipids to fall. This decrease occurs whether the lipids were originally high or low and affects all lipid fractions proportionally.