Abstract
ObjectivesClinical laboratory reference intervals used in a specific area should be derived from the local population as they are influenced by many factors. The purpose of this quantitative cross sectional study was to establish hematological reference intervals for healthy adults in Asmara and to determine whether the currently used reference interval do represent the adult population in the city. In addition, the established reference intervals were compared to findings from similar studies conducted in selected countries in Africa.ResultsThere was a significant difference between males and females in the reference intervals for erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration and differential white blood cell count. All the evaluated hematological analytes were found to be higher in males than in females except for platelet count. The out of range percentage for the parameters extends from 3.5 to 46.7%; with red blood cell count having the lowest while mean cell volume having the highest out of range percentage. The results indicated that the currently used reference interval does not represent the population in Asmara and are different from those obtained elsewhere in Africa.
Highlights
Clinical laboratory reference intervals (RI) play a great role in patient diagnosis, management, disease prognosis, monitoring of response to therapy and in monitoring possible adverse reactions to therapy [1]
All the participants were sero-negative for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)
There was a significant difference in the Red blood cells (RBC) count (p < 0.000); Hemoglobin (p < 0.003); Hct (p < 0.000); mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (p < 0.005), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p < 0.001), and differential Lymphocyte count (p < 0.008) and granulocyte count (p > 0.024) between the two sexes
Summary
Clinical laboratory reference intervals (RI) play a great role in patient diagnosis, management, disease prognosis, monitoring of response to therapy and in monitoring possible adverse reactions to therapy [1]. Others have concluded that genetic factors contribute to all blood cell measure differences, and may account for between 61 and 96% of the observed variance [2, 3]. Cognisant of this fact, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recommends that each laboratory should establish its own RI [4]. A limited number of studies have been conducted in the last decade in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [1, 5–8]. These investigators have demonstrated the existence of significant intercountry/regional variation in multiple haematological parameters for infants, children and adult populations
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