Association between serum albumin levels and risk of deep vein thrombosis in diabetic patients: a retrospective case-control study.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of serum albumin (ALB) levels for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in diabetic patients, providing a simple and effective biomarker for the early identification of high-risk DVT patients.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted in 133 diabetic patients hospitalized at our hospital between January 2020 and January 2023, including 55 patients diagnosed with DVT (observation group) and 78 patients without DVT (control group). Clinical data, including demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and laboratory indicators (such as serum ALB, HbA1c, HDL, LDL, cardiovascular disease (CVD) history, and insulin treatment) were collected from medical records. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of DVT, adjusting for potential confounding factors, including body mass index (BMI), smoking history, and platelet count. Additionally, the diagnostic performance of serum ALB was assessed using ROC curve analysis in the overall cohort and stratified by CVD status, insulin treatment, and ALB levels.

Results: Serum ALB levels were significantly lower in the DVT group compared to the control group (3.18 ± 0.26 vs. 3.53 ± 0.41 g/L, P < 0.001). Logistic regression confirmed serum ALB as an independent predictor of DVT (univariate OR = 0.070; multivariate OR = 0.076; both P < 0.001). ROC analysis demonstrated good diagnostic performance for serum ALB (AUC = 0.827), with higher accuracy observed in patients with CVD (AUC = 0.885) and those with hypoalbuminemia (AUC = 0.780). Additionally, serum ALB was also a strong predictor for DVT in the insulin-treated subgroup, confirming its diagnostic value across different diabetic subgroups.

Conclusion: Low serum ALB levels are significantly associated with the occurrence of DVT in diabetic patients. Serum ALB can serve as an effective biomarker for DVT, and regular monitoring can aid in the early identification of high-risk patients and prevent thrombosis.