Total Serum Protein

Albumin Test, Blood, Blood Protein Test, Globulin Test, Serum Protein Test

Why It Is Done

Albumin is tested to:

• Check how well the liver and kidney are working.
• Find out if your diet contains enough protein.
• Help determine the cause of swelling of the ankles (pedal edema) or abdomen (ascites) or of fluid collection in the lungs that may cause shortness of breath (pulmonary edema).

Globulin is tested to:

• Determine your chances of developing an infection.
• See if you have a rare blood disease, such as multiple myeloma or macroglobulinemia.

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Author:	Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC	Last Updated January 18, 2006
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
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