Reference interval for prealbumin for children two to 36 months old.
To define a reference value for serum prealbumin (transthyretin) concentration, we used a rate immunonephelometric microassay to quantify it in 76 healthy children, ranging in age from two to 36 months. Age-specific ranges (+/- 2 SD from the mean) are: 2-5.9 months, 142-330 mg/L; 6-11.9 months, 120-274 mg/L; 12-17.9 months, 115-259 mg/L; 18-23.9 months, 143-243 mg/L; 24-36 months, 108-258 mg/L. When the data were grouped into those for subjects younger and older than 12 months of age, the mean for the 2-11.9 month age group (210 mg/L) significantly (P less than 0.01) exceeded that of the 12-36 month age group (187 mg/L). We propose that in spite of a decrease in prealbumin concentration with increasing age, it is acceptable to use the reference interval 116-281 mg/L (+/- 2 SD from the mean) for children from two to 36 months old. We also compared concentrations of prealbumin in serum and plasma of 41 individuals, finding the mean difference to be +11.7 mg/L; concentrations in plasma averaged 6.7% greater than those in serum.
Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98105.
B
B
Sherry
R M
RM
Jack
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A
Weber
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Smith
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis*; D012016:Reference Values
D011228:Prealbumin