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Population-based pediatric reference intervals for HbA1c, bilirubin, albumin, CRP, myoglobin and serum enzymes

Peo Rödöö1, Peter Ridefelt, Mattias Aldrimer

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, County Hospital of Falun, Falun, Sweden.

Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
|April 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

This study establishes age- and gender-specific pediatric reference intervals for key analytes in healthy children. Results highlight the need for diverse population studies to ensure accurate clinical reference ranges.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Pediatric Reference Intervals
  • Biomarker Analysis

Background:

  • Previous pediatric reference interval studies often used limited hospital-based populations.
  • This limitation may affect the generalizability of established reference ranges.
  • Healthy children and adolescents require specific reference intervals for accurate health assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish age- and gender-specific pediatric reference intervals.
  • To analyze key analytes in a healthy pediatric cohort.
  • To provide updated reference data using modern analytical methods.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 694 healthy children aged 6 months to 18 years from schools and child care units.
  • Collected health and medication data via parental and self-administered questionnaires.
  • Analyzed multiple analytes including ALT, AST, bilirubin, CRP, CK, GGT, HbA1c, and LDH using automated platforms.

Main Results:

  • Estimated age- and gender-related 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles for numerous analytes.
  • Observed substantial differences in some analyte values compared to previous studies.
  • Provided reference intervals for Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Albumin, Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and others.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides crucial age- and gender-specific pediatric reference intervals.
  • Emphasizes the necessity of evaluating reference intervals across diverse populations and ethnic groups.
  • Highlights the importance of using healthy subjects for establishing accurate pediatric reference data.
Abstract

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