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CALIPER Hematology Reference Standards (II)
Victoria Higgins1,2, Houman Tahmasebi1, Mary Kathryn Bohn1,2
1CALIPER Program, Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Insights
This study established age- and sex-specific reference intervals for hematologic parameters in healthy children and adolescents. These pediatric-specific reference standards are crucial for accurate interpretation of blood test results in growing individuals.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Clinical Chemistry
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Accurate interpretation of hematologic parameters in children requires age- and sex-specific reference intervals.
- Existing reference ranges may not adequately reflect physiological changes during growth and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish comprehensive age- and sex-specific reference intervals for 27 hematologic parameters in the CALIPER cohort of healthy children and adolescents.
- To provide a robust pediatric hematology reference database for improved clinical interpretation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 27 hematologic parameters in 536 healthy children and adolescents (birth to 21 years) using the Beckman Coulter DxH 520 system.
- Establishment of age- and sex-specific pediatric reference standards.
- Comparison of results with data from a larger laboratory instrument (DxH 900).
Main Results:
- Most hematologic parameters exhibited significant age- and/or sex-specific variations.
- Age partitioning was necessary for all but four parameters.
- Sex partitioning was required for eight parameters.
Conclusions:
- This study provides a robust pediatric hematology reference database.
- Significant variations in hematologic parameters necessitate the use of pediatric-specific reference standards for accurate interpretation in children and adolescents.
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to establish comprehensive age- and sex-specific reference intervals for hematologic parameters in the CALIPER cohort of healthy children and adolescents.
Methods:
A total of 536 healthy children and adolescents (birth to 21 years) were recruited with informed consent, and whole blood samples were analyzed for 27 hematologic parameters on the Beckman Coulter DxH 520 system. Age- and sex-specific pediatric reference standards were established. Reference values obtained on the DxH 520 were also compared with data obtained on a larger laboratory-based instrument (DxH 900).
Results:
Most hematologic parameters showed significant age- and/or sex-specific changes during growth and development. Of the 27 hematologic parameters, all except four (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, basophil percentage, low hemoglobin density, immature cell percentage) required age partitioning, and eight required sex partitioning.
Conclusions:
This study establishes a robust pediatric hematology reference database that will assist in more accurate test result interpretation. Our data clearly demonstrate significant variation in hematologic parameter concentrations in children and adolescents, necessitating the use of pediatric-specific reference standards.
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