Congenital Hypoalbuminemia

[kpsanghvi]

Have a full term newborn (uneventful antenatal period, well nourished mother) LSCS B.Wt 3.3 kg, mild resuscitation required at birth (Bag & Mask) APGAR's 6/10 & 9/10 needing ventilation with 22/6 FiO2 50%. CXR showing a little fluid. 2-D ECHO Color Doppler Normal. No apparent obstructive lesion on direct laryngoscopy. Developed generalized edema on day 3. s-Albumin 2gm% and s-Calcium 5.6 mg% with with normal LFT, normal RFT, No urinary loss of proteins, no ascites or effusions. No sepsis. The child is on full orogastric tube feeds since day 3 of life. Cannot not figure out the cause of the Hypoalbuminemia.

[Stefan Johansson]

Could there be increased protein loss from the intestines?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11158480&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

Turner syndrome (45X) may also have congenital hypoalb;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=3465177&query_hl=6&itool=pubmed_docsum

[kpsanghvi]

Dear Stefan
Thanks for the reply. This child was a male child and after albumin transfusions his s-albumin increased to 3 gm%. All edema distress subsided. And was thriving well on breast feeding.

[Stefan Johansson]

Dear Kishore,
Good news! Did you ever find out the etiology of the hypoalbumenia?

[kpsanghvi]

Hi Stefan
No I could not find out the cause of his hypoalbuminemia. since the infant was thriving welland there was no recurrence I left him alone. I shall repeat the investigations after a month.