ALB and respiratory failure: Patients with respiratory failure had significantly lower median lymphocyte count (0.7*109/l vs. 1.3*109/l, P < 0.0001), median platelet count (155.5*109/l vs. 186.5*109/l, P = 0.0008) and median albumin levels (40.0 vs. 41.9 g/l, P = 0.0005).