ALB and Sepsis: As far as albumin is concerned, results of the saline versus albumin fluid evaluation (SAFE) study, a randomized comparison of human albumin with crystalloid in the ICU, seem to indicate that albumin is safe, albeit no more effective than saline, for fluid resuscitation.[37] That being said, in a predefined subgroup with sepsis (approximately 18% of the total population), the SAFE study found a trend toward improved survival in the albumin group, with a relative risk of 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.74 to 1.02; P = 0.09).