In which condition would you likely see very low albumin if it is drawn a few days after admission to an acute care facility?

In the case of 30% full thickness burns, a significant physiologic response occurs that leads to low levels of albumin. Burns cause extensive tissue damage, resulting in increased capillary permeability and the loss of large amounts of plasma proteins, including albumin, into the interstitial space. This rapid loss of albumin contributes to decreased serum albumin levels.

In an acute care setting, albumin levels are often monitored shortly after admission to assess the patient's nutritional status and to identify potential complications. After a major burn, even a few days post-admission, the body is still undergoing significant stress and protein loss, hence the albumin level would likely remain low during this critical period.

While other conditions such as chronic liver disease and acute renal failure can also lead to low albumin levels, the acute and severe nature of albumin loss associated with significant burns makes this condition particularly relevant when considering a drop in albumin levels shortly after admission. Severe dehydration might lead to hemoconcentration but usually does not cause a significant drop in protein levels like burns do.