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Published on: September 20, 2019
Assessment of Albumin Usage Patterns and Appropriateness in a Comprehensive Cancer Centre: A retrospective study in
Asma'a A Al-Kharabsheh1, Lama H Nazer1, Wedad Awad1
1Department of Pharmacy, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan.
Insights
Albumin use in cancer patients showed a 69% appropriateness rate, with nearly one-third of prescriptions being inappropriate. Continuous education is vital for optimizing albumin utilization in oncology care.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Albumin is a widely used plasma protein with varied clinical applications.
- Conflicting data exists regarding the appropriate use of albumin in diverse clinical scenarios.
- Optimizing albumin administration in cancer patients is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prescribing patterns and appropriateness of albumin use in cancer patients.
- To evaluate albumin indications and dosing against established guidelines.
- To identify areas for improvement in albumin utilization within oncology settings.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of adult cancer patients prescribed albumin from January 2019 to July 2020.
- Data collection included demographics, prescribing services, indications, and dosing.
- Literature review using PubMed to assess appropriateness against guidelines and package inserts.
Main Results:
- Albumin was prescribed to 1,361 patients, with 69% appropriateness.
- Critical care services showed highest consumption, primarily for septic shock (37%).
- Inappropriate use was most common in medical solid tumor services (40.8%), mainly for edema (28%).
Conclusions:
- This study represents the first evaluation of albumin use in a large oncology patient cohort.
- Approximately one-third of albumin prescriptions were deemed inappropriate.
- Continuous education and guideline adherence evaluations are essential for appropriate albumin use in cancer care.
Objectives:
Albumin is commonly used for various indications; however, there is conflicting data regarding its appropriate use in different clinical cases. This study aimed to determine the pattern and appropriateness of albumin use among cancer patients at the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult cancer patients who were prescribed albumin between January 2019 and July 2020 in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Data collected included demographics, prescribing services, indications and dosing regimens. A literature review was performed using PubMed to assess the appropriateness of albumin indications and dosing regimens against current guidelines, drug information resources and the package insert.
Results:
Albumin was prescribed to 1,361 patients during the study period. Each patient received an average of 74.4 ± 89 g of albumin for an average of 2.6 ± 1.8 days. Albumin use was deemed appropriate in 69% of the patients. The critical care service accounted for the highest albumin consumption, with 37% of prescriptions for septic shock. Inappropriate use of albumin was most prevalent in the medical solid tumour services (40.8% of prescriptions), primarily for edema (28%).
Conclusion:
To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate albumin use in a large cohort of oncology patients. Approximately one-third of the albumin prescriptions were considered inappropriate. Continuous education on appropriate usage and regular evaluations of guideline adherence are essential to ensure proper utilisation of albumin in cancer care.
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