Reference intervals developed from data for hospitalized patients: computerized method based on combination of laboratory and diagnostic data

• Published in: Clinical chemistry (Baltimore, Md.) Vol. 40; no. 12; pp. 2209 - 2215
• Main Authors: Kouri, T, Kairisto, V, Virtanen, A, Uusipaikka, E, Rajamaki, A, Finneman, H, Juva, K, Koivula, T, Nanto, V
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Assoc Clin Chem 01.12.1994; American Association for Clinical Chemistry
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Chemistry, Clinical - statistics & numerical data; Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; Diagnosis; Erythrocyte Count; Erythrocyte Indices; Female; Hemoglobins - analysis; Hospital Information Systems; Hospitalization; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Laboratories - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Technology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Pregnancy; Reference Values; Human; Biological fluid; Hemoprotein; Information system; Reference; Clinical biology; Database; Red blood cell; Hemoglobin; Diagnosis; Hospital; Blood
• ISSN: 0009-9147; 1530-8561
• DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/40.12.2209

We utilized the databases of a hospital information system to select for determination of reference values various individual hospitalized patients on the basis of their diagnoses at discharge. The nonparametric 2.5-97.5% "health-related" reference intervals were calculated for hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and erythrocyte count for both sexes. After excluding patients with diseases possibly affecting erythrocyte variables, we obtained a final group of 1786 women and 1450 men, ages 20-65 years, who were studied in age groups of 20-30, 30-45, 45-55, and 55-65 years. The upper reference limits of the MCV results obtained from hospitalized patients were higher than those produced conventionally from healthy individuals, as would be intuitively suggested by clinical experience. This method, based on selection by diagnosis, could be applicable to various analytes measured in hospital laboratories, provided sufficient data are available as databases.