Reference intervals for trace elements in the general Danish population and their dependence on serum proteins

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Trace Element Analysis
• Population Health Studies

Background:

• Accurate clinical chemistry reference intervals are crucial for interpreting laboratory results.
• Trace elements play vital roles in human health, necessitating reliable reference ranges.
• Previous reference intervals may not reflect current population demographics or analytical standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish updated reference intervals for major trace elements in the Danish population.
• To investigate the association between trace element concentrations and major plasma transport proteins (albumin, ferritin, transferrin).
• To determine if protein-adjusted reference intervals are necessary for trace element analysis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of major trace elements in whole blood and serum samples from 400 randomly selected Danish individuals.
• Establishment of reference intervals for whole blood and serum trace elements.
• Statistical correlation analysis between trace element levels and concentrations of albumin, ferritin, and transferrin.
• Development of protein-adjusted reference intervals where significant correlations were found.

Main Results:

• Reference intervals were successfully established for various trace elements in both whole blood and serum.
• Significant correlations were observed between several trace elements and plasma transport proteins (albumin, ferritin, transferrin).
• The impact of transport proteins on trace element reference intervals was minor, leading to marginal adjustments.

Conclusions:

• The updated reference intervals for trace elements in the Danish population are reliable.
• Protein-adjusted reference intervals are not essential for the routine interpretation of these trace element measurements.
• These findings support the direct application of the established trace element reference intervals without protein adjustment.