In the study by Lee and colleagues, preoperative serum albumin levels <4.0 g/L was an independent risk factor for off-pump CABG-associated AKI (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.27–2.64), and administration of 20% exogenous albumin before operation was able to reduce the risk of AKI (40, 53). Here, ALB is linked to acute kidney injury.