American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test

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Prepare for the ABS QE with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question provides hints and explanations to enhance understanding. Start your journey to becoming a certified surgeon and tackle your exam with confidence!

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How long is the half-life of prealbumin?

1 day
2 days
3 days
4 days

The correct answer is: 2 days

The half-life of prealbumin, also known as transthyretin, is approximately 2 days. Prealbumin is a glycoprotein produced predominantly in the liver and is recognized for its role in transporting thyroxine and retinol-binding protein. Its relatively short half-life makes it a useful biomarker for assessing nutritional status and monitoring changes in protein synthesis in the body. Given its half-life of around 2 days, prealbumin levels can reflect recent changes in protein intake or metabolic state more accurately than other proteins with longer half-lives, such as albumin, which has a half-life of about 20 days. This makes prealbumin particularly valuable in clinical settings where quick adjustments in nutritional support are necessary, for example following surgery or during recovery from acute illness.