Venous stasis during venipuncture can lead to increased values.
Hemolysis can falsely elevate total protein.
Causes of low total protein include pregnancy, intravenous fluids, cirrhosis or other liver diseases including chronic alcoholism, prolonged immobilization, heart failure, nephrotic syndromes, glomerulonephritis, neoplasia, protein losing enteropathies, Chrohn's disease and chronic ulcerative colitis, starvation, malabsorption or malnutrition, hyperthyroidism, burns, severe skin disease, and other chronic diseases.