A nurse assessing a patient with a history of inflammatory bowel disease notes bilateral pitting edema of both the ankles and feet.Which laboratory result is most likely related to this finding?

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Pitting edema is commonly associated with hypoalbuminemia, which is a decrease in the levels of albumin, a protein that helps regulate fluid balance in the body. Inflammatory bowel disease can cause malabsorption and malnutrition, leading to decreases in albumin levels and subsequent fluid accumulation in the extremities. Elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels and an elevated platelet count are not directly related to pitting edema.

A Nurse Assessing a Patient with a History of Inflammatory