Reference intervals for common biochemistry laboratory tests in the Saudi population by a direct a priori method.
Reference intervals (RI) for biochemistry laboratory tests are now based on Caucasian rather than Saudi populations. Test parameters may vary because of race, lifestyle, population structure and geographic location.



To establish reference intervals for common clinical chemistry laboratory tests for the Saudi population.



Direct a priori method.



Tertiary care hospital.



Blood samples were taken from 625 individuals aged from 2 to 87 years from different geographic areas for 93 biochemistry tests. RIs were established following the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry guideline.



Reference values for common biochemistry lab tests.



Ninety-three age- or gender-stratified reference intervals (RIs) based on the Saudi population were established. There were 72 non-partitioned tests. Most of the tests were similar to RIs from manufacturer's inserts. For some sex hormones (estrogen, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, progesterone and 17 alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone) only male RIs were established as there were not enough samples to stratify for females based on physiologic status.



The RIs are reliable and applicable to a general Saudi population.



Due to the sample size, RIs were not generated for some sex hormones for females.
Xuejiao L
XL
Hu
Dr. Fouad Hassan Al-Dayel, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center,, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine,, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi Arabia, T: 966-11-442-7224, F: 966-11-442-4280, dayelf@kfshrc.edu.sa.
Huda
H
Hassan
Dr. Fouad Hassan Al-Dayel, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center,, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine,, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi Arabia, T: 966-11-442-7224, F: 966-11-442-4280, dayelf@kfshrc.edu.sa.
Fouad Hassan
FH
Al-Dayel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult