Laboratory evaluation should include liver biochemical testing, serum albumin level measurement and prothrombin time (PT) or international normalized ratio (INR) determination to assess hepatic function as well as a complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate for the presence of cytopenias that may result from portal hypertension or of leukocytosis, anemia, and thrombocytosis that may result from systemic infection. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is portal hypertension.