Measurement of serum proteins such as albumin and prealbumin can be utilized to assess nutritional

status, but they also have limitations. Metabolic pathways are shifted away from maintenance of these
proteins after burn injury, and serum albumin levels are depressed both acutely and chronically, even
with successful nutrition, making it a poor marker [120]. Prealbumin has a short half-life of 2 days which
theoretically makes it more responsive to nutritional changes. In reality, the level of prealbumin falls
quickly after burn and recovers slowly and may not correlate well with ongoing nutritional status [121].
Protein markers, similar to body weight, should be interpreted in context with the patient’s clinical
status and with the overall trend in mind.