title: Quality in post-analytical phase: indirect reference intervals for erythrocyte parameters of neonates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to gain an estimation of the reference intervals for erythrocyte parameters of neonates in the venous blood, in their first day of life, aiming to achieve quality assurance in post-analytical phase according to the requirement of the ISO standard 15189:2007: Medical laboratories-particular requirements for quality and competence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on a group of 845 subjects selected from the laboratory database. The blood test was performed with the Nihon Celltac F automatic hematology analyzer. In order to find the reference interval, the Hoffmann indirect method was used to process the study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results give the reference intervals for red blood cell (RBC=3.45-5.26×10(6)/μL), hemoglobin (HGB=12.5-19.48g/dL), hematocrit (HCT=37.18-55.65%), mean cell volume (MCV=99.63-111.92fL), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH=33.55-39.28pg) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC=32.33-36.23g/dL), along with the corresponding confidence intervals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonates are a special category of population to which the application of the direct method for determining the reference intervals is difficult and raises ethical issues. Thus, the indirect method is a reasonable alternative. The reported approach is easy to apply and accessible to any laboratory.
authors: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes Timisoara, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Department, 2, Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
authors: Daniela Stefania
authors: DS
authors: Grecu
authors: Eugenia
authors: E
authors: Paulescu
mesh_terms: D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000592:standards*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins