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Published on: February 14, 2019
Reference intervals of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in the apparently healthy adult population
Gao-Ming Zhang1,2, Shu-Mei Bai3, Guo-Ming Zhang1,2
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shuyang People's Hospital, Shuyang, China.
Insights
This study establishes reference intervals for carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) in healthy adults. CA 19-9 levels increase with age in males but not in females, highlighting age- and gender-specific variations.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Biomarker Research
- Reference Interval Studies
Background:
- Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a tumor marker with established reference intervals crucial for clinical interpretation.
- Variations in CA 19-9 levels based on age and gender require thorough investigation for accurate diagnostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reference intervals for CA 19-9 in a large cohort of healthy adults according to CLSI guidelines.
- To evaluate and delineate age- and gender-specific variations in CA 19-9 levels.
Main Methods:
- Serum CA 19-9 levels were measured in 10,149 healthy individuals aged 20-60 years.
- Statistical analysis, including Spearman's correlation, was employed to assess the relationship between CA 19-9 and age.
- Reference intervals were determined using Q2.5 and Q97.5, with 90% confidence intervals calculated for upper limits.
Main Results:
- Established reference intervals for CA 19-9: 1.98-25.12 U/mL for males and 2.36-29.29 U/mL for females (20-60 years).
- Found significantly higher CA 19-9 levels in females compared to males.
- Demonstrated a significant positive association between CA 19-9 and age in adult males (r=0.0930, P<0.0001), but not in females (P=0.4734).
Conclusions:
- Defined age- and gender-specific reference intervals for CA 19-9 in healthy adults using a large dataset.
- First-time discovery of an age-related increase in CA 19-9 levels specifically in adult males.
- Emphasized the importance of considering age and gender when interpreting CA 19-9 results.
Background:
To establish reference intervals of carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA 19-9) according to the CLSI CA28-A3 guideline and to evaluate age- and gender-related variations.
Methods:
Serum CA 19-9 values of 10 149 healthy subjects (from 20 years old to 60 years old) were measured from location health checkups. The relationship between CA 19-9 and age was analyzed using Spearman's approach. The reference intervals of CA19-9 were established using Q2.5 and Q97.5 , and the 90% confidence intervals of upper limits were calculated.
Results:
The reference intervals of CA 19-9 were 1.98-25.12 U/mL for males (1.97-25.06 U/mL for 20-50 years old and 2.31-26.13 U/mL for 50-60 years old) and 2.36-29.29 U/mL for adult (20-60 years old) females. The upper limit of reference intervals for all individuals was 26.45 U/mL; the level of CA 19-9 is higher in females than males. Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 is significantly associated with aging in adult males(r = .0930, P < .0001), but not in females (P = .4734).
Conclusions:
Establishing reference intervals for CA19-9 and giving age-related reference intervals of CA19-9 using a big data of healthy adult, we first discovered that CA19-9 tends to increase with age in adult males but not in females.
