Abstract
Computer- intensive resampling/bootstrap methods are feasible when calculating reference intervals from non-Gaussian or small reference samples. Microsoft Excel® in version 2010 or later includes natural functions, which lend themselves well to this purpose including recommended interpolation procedures for estimating 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to resampling estimation techniques in general and in using Microsoft Excel® 2010 for the purpose of estimating reference intervals in particular. Parametric methods are preferable to resampling methods when the distributions of observations in the reference samples is Gaussian or can transformed to that distribution even when the number of reference samples is less than 120. Resampling methods are appropriate when the distribution of data from the reference samples is non-Gaussian and in case the number of reference individuals and corresponding samples are in the order of 40. At least 500-1000 random samples with replacement should be taken from the results of measurement of the reference samples.
Highlights
Description of the taskReference intervals [1,2] are amongst the essential tools for interpreting laboratory results
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to resampling estimation techniques in general and in using Microsoft Excel® 2010 for the purpose of estimating reference intervals in particular
The resampling model built by standard functions of Microsoft Excel® 2013 and illustrated here resulted in the practically identical reference interval calculated by Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications and described by Geffré et al [24]
Summary
Reference intervals [1,2] are amongst the essential tools for interpreting laboratory results. Reference intervals continue to be an active area of research [2,9] and at the core of practical work in clinical laboratories [6,10]. When the number of values is small, e.g. in the order of 40-120 and the data are non-Gaussian, resampling methods are useful to estimate the reference interval. The reference interval including the upper and lower reference limits. ©Copyright by Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Reference interval which includes estimated 95% of the values in the reference population
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