Ferritin-to-Albumin Ratio Predicts Mortality Risk in Non-COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients: Study
A new study has found that the ferritin-to-albumin ratio (FAR), a biomarker that reflects both inflammation and nutritional status, can predict short-term mortality in critically ill patients with non-COVID-19 pneumonia. The findings highlight how routinely available blood tests may offer valuable insights into patient outcomes, providing a practical way to identify those at higher risk.
The research, published in Respiratory Medicine (Feng et al., 2025), analyzed data from 827 patients admitted with pneumonia to the intensive care unit. By examining ferritin, a marker of systemic inflammation, alongside albumin, which reflects nutritional and physiological reserve, the team calculated each patient’s FAR and tracked survival over 28 and 90 days. Patients with higher ratios at admission consistently showed a greater risk of death during both time frames. This association remained significant even after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and other clinical variables. The results suggest that FAR captures the combined impact of inflammation and nutritional depletion on patient outcomes, offering a more holistic measure than single biomarkers alone.
The study’s authors emphasize the potential for FAR to be used as a simple, cost-effective tool in critical care settings. Because ferritin and albumin levels are already part of standard laboratory testing, clinicians could easily calculate FAR without requiring additional procedures or expenses. This could aid in early risk stratification, helping identify patients who may need closer monitoring or more aggressive treatment. Although further prospective studies are needed to validate the findings, the evidence suggests that FAR could complement existing severity scores and guide personalized care strategies for patients with pneumonia. By bridging inflammation and nutrition into a single measure, FAR may become a valuable addition to the clinician’s toolkit for improving outcomes in serious respiratory infections.
Reference: Feng, J., Zhao, T., Huang, Y., Lai, S., & Chen, G. (2025). Ferritin-to-Albumin Ratio Predicts Short-Term Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Non-COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study from MIMIC-IV database. Respiratory Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108361
Keywords: ferritin-to-albumin ratio, non-COVID-19 pneumonia, inflammation, nutrition, mortality risk, intensive care, prognostic biomarker.
