Background
Some physicians co-administer albumin with loop diuretics to overcome diuretic resistance in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients, though previous studies have reported conflicting results on this matter.
Objective
The effects of adding albumin to furosemide to enhance its efficacy in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients are evaluated.
Methods
This was a non-blinded randomized trial. 49 adult critically ill patients with hypoalbuminemia and generalized edema who received randomly furosemide and furosemide/albumin complex were enrolled. The patients’ urine was collected at intervals of 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after initiation of the furosemide treatment, and the urine output and urinary excretion of furosemide and sodium were measured. The urinary excretion of furosemide was considered an indicator of drug efficacy.
Results
The amount of sodium and furosemide excreted in urine showed no significant differences between the two groups; however, the mean of the urinary excretion of furosemide in the first 2 h after drug infusion was significantly higher (
p
 = 0.03) in the furosemide/albumin group. No significant correlation between APACHE II scores and serum albumin levels and the urinary excretion of furosemide was seen.
Conclusion
The results indicated that there is not statistically significant differences between groups with furosemide alone and combined with albumin in urinary furosemide excretion. It seems that adding albumin for furosemide pharmacotherapy regime is not recommended as an intervention to increase furosemide efficacy in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients.
Trial registration
IRCT with the registration number IRCT201412132582N12 in 23 February 2015;
https://en.irct.ir/trial/2356
Graphical abstract...

Efficacy of furosemide-albumin compared with furosemide in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients admitted to intensive care unit: a prospective randomized clinical trial

10.1007/s40199-020-00339-8