The predictive power of albumin-based composite indicators for mortality in patients with aspiration pneumonia

The incidence of aspiration pneumonia (AP) is rising due to an increasing population with chronic conditions. This study investigates the association between albumin-based composite indicators-blood urea nitrogen/albumin (B/A), lactate dehydrogenase/albumin (L/A), and C-reactive protein/albumin (C/A) ratios-and AP-related mortality.

In this retrospective study, adult patients diagnosed with AP between 2022 and 2023 were analyzed. Patients' demographics, clinical data, and lab results were recorded. Albumin-based composite indicators were calculated, and outcomes were observed up to 28 days post-admission, categorizing patients as survivors or non-survivors.

The study involved 67 patients, with a median age of 80. The 28-day mortality rate was 38.8% (n=26). There were no substantial demographic or clinical differences between survivors and non-survivors (p>0.05). However, non-survivors exhibited notably lower serum albumin levels (p>0.001). Additionally, B/A and C/A ratios were significantly higher in non-survivors (p<0.05). B/A ratios above 1.03 and C/A ratios above 6.15 correlated significantly with mortality (p=0.023 and p=0.026).

The results indicate that lower serum albumin levels and higher B/A and C/A ratios are significantly linked to AP-induced mortality. These albumin-based indicators may serve as useful markers for early risk assessment and outcome prediction in AP patients.