Reference values for serum protein and electrolyte study from Rwanda

To estimate reference values of serum proteins and electrolytes in a student population in Butare, Rwanda (altitude: 1768 m; barometric pressure: 629 mm Hg).

A laboratory based cross-sectional study.

The units of physiology and clinical chemistry, department of medical biology, Butare University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, National University of Rwanda, from February 2002 to May 2003.

Young healthy adults were selected randomly from the students of the National University of Rwanda, using Epi-Info 6.04 software.

The results mean and reference range (2.5th-97.5th percentile) in brackets - are as follows: total proteins: male: 7.3 (6.3-8.4) g/dL, female: 7.3 (6.5-8.5) g/dL; albumin: male: 4.3 (3.1-5.2) g/dL, female: 4.1 (3.2-5.0) g/dL; globulins: male: 3.1 (2.0-4.2) g/dL. female: 3.2 (2.1-4.2) g/dL; sodium: male: 138.5 (130-147) mmol/L, female: 139.8 (132-153) mmol/L; potassium: 4.0 (3.1-5.0) mmol/L both in male and in female; chloride: males: 104.4 (96-112) mmol/L, females: 106.1 (98-114) mmol/L; phosphates: male: 1.13 (0.65-1.59) mmol/L, female: 1.17 (0.71-1.52) mmol/L.

The values of serum proteins and electrolytes are comparable to classical sea level values; however there is a slight increase in serum chloride.