The lab that best reflects short-term protein status is:

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When evaluating which lab best reflects short-term protein status, we need to consider the turnover rate of each protein and its sensitivity to recent changes.
Option 1: Total protein. This assembles all circulating proteins and tends to reflect longer-term protein status and overall hydration. It is not the most responsive to recent dietary changes or acute shifts in protein intake, so it’s less ideal for short-term assessment.
Option 2: Transferrin. While transferrin responds to protein-energy status to some degree, its level is also affected by iron status and has a longer half-life than many acute markers. It does not provide as rapid a readout of short-term protein changes as some other markers.
Option 3: Albumin. Albumin has a relatively long half-life (about 20 days), so it changes slowly in response to nutrition. Because of this slow turnover, it is not the best choice for detecting recent or short-term alterations in protein status.
Option 4: Prealbumin. Also known as transthyretin, prealbumin has a short half-life (roughly 2 days), making it more sensitive to recent fluctuations in protein intake or catabolic states. This characteristic makes it the preferred marker for assessing short-term protein status compared with the other options.
In summary, markers with shorter half-lives (like prealbumin) provide quicker feedback on changes in protein status, whereas longer-lived proteins (albumin, transferrin, and total protein) lag behind in reflecting recent dietary or metabolic adjustments.

11:709:483:01 MNT I NUTR ASSESS Midterm

The lab that best reflects short-term protein status is:

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