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Pediatric reference intervals: challenges and recent initiatives

Julie L V Shaw1, Tina Binesh Marvasti, David Colantonio

  • 1Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences
|May 10, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Establishing reliable pediatric reference intervals for clinical laboratory tests is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment. This review addresses the challenges in pediatric biomarker analysis and proposes solutions for developing essential reference ranges.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Clinical laboratories provide essential biomarker data for disease diagnosis and monitoring.
  • Accurate reference intervals are vital for interpreting laboratory results and guiding clinical decisions.
  • Establishing reference intervals requires large, healthy populations, posing challenges, especially in pediatrics due to growth and developmental changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the challenges in establishing pediatric reference intervals for biomarkers.
  • To highlight initiatives addressing knowledge gaps in pediatric reference intervals.
  • To discuss recommended and alternative approaches for developing reference intervals.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of challenges and initiatives in pediatric reference interval establishment.
  • Analysis of recommended and alternative methods for reference interval development.
  • Discussion of emerging biomarkers and alternative sample types for pediatric testing.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric reference intervals are complex due to dynamic physiological changes.
  • Several initiatives are underway to improve pediatric reference interval data.
  • Various approaches, including alternative sample types, are being explored for novel biomarkers.

Conclusions:

  • Addressing the challenges in pediatric reference interval development is critical for accurate healthcare.
  • Continued research and collaboration are needed to establish robust pediatric reference ranges.
  • The development of reference intervals for novel pediatric biomarkers and alternative sample types is an evolving area.

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