Serum albumin and white matter hyperintensities

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Low serum albumin is common in individuals with HIV and alcohol use disorders (AUD) and predicts cardiovascular events.
• White matter hyperintensities (WMH), indicative of cerebral small vessel disease, are linked to cardiovascular disease.
• While urine albumin and WMH, and serum albumin and cognitive function are studied, the link between serum albumin and WMH burden is less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum albumin levels and WMH volumes.
• To examine the association between serum albumin and cognitive performance.
• To test if serum albumin is inversely related to WMH volumes and directly related to cognitive performance in AUD and HIV groups.

Main Methods:

• A study sample included 160 individuals with AUD, 142 living with HIV, and 102 healthy controls.
• Serum albumin levels, WMH volumes (neuroimaging), and cognitive performance (verbal learning and memory) were assessed.
• Statistical analyses controlled for cardiovascular, demographic, and disease-specific factors.

Main Results:

• An inverse relationship between serum albumin and periventricular WMH volumes was observed in both AUD and HIV groups.
• This association remained significant in the HIV group after adjusting for multiple confounding factors.
• Serum albumin was a stronger predictor of verbal learning and memory performance than WMH volume in the HIV group.
• Serum albumin correlated with hematological markers (hemoglobin, hematocrit) in both groups, suggesting it reflects hematological abnormalities.

Conclusions:

• Serum albumin may serve as a biomarker for identifying periventricular WMH burden in people living with HIV.
• Serum albumin levels correlate with cognitive performance in specific domains in people living with HIV.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanistic role of serum albumin in periventricular WMH development in HIV.