[Evaluation and selection of normal range calculation methods].
There are many methods for normal range calculation, and they give different values even with the same normal data sample. I proposed three parameters, accuracy, precision and robustness, for evaluating the calculation methods. A complicated calculation method, the distribution selection method, seems to be theoretically correct, but it shows unstable precision and inadequate robustness when the normal data contain a small amount of abnormal data. A method called "Clinical reference range program (CRRP)" is a robust method, and is applicable to the data which contains abnormal data. I also proposed a condition which defines the sample size required for the calculation using the precision parameter.
Usui
T
T
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine.
D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012016:Reference Values