ALB and infection: Traditionally, several factors have been suggested to play a role in the induction of hospitalization for infection, such as diabetes because of impaired immunologic defense mechanisms and deficient phagocytic function, age as immune system declines with age, low serum albumin, and dialyzer membrane bioincompatibility.[45–47] On the basis of the present data, the liberation of protein-bound solutes from their binding sites, which enhances their toxicity, should be considered an additional mechanism.