Pediatric Reference Intervals for Several Biochemical Analytes in School Children in Central Taiwan

Lai, Dong-Shang; Chen, Shivan-Chih; Chang, Yih-Hsin; Chen, Chien-Yi; Lin, Jye-Bin; Lin, Yi-Jiun; Yang, Shun-Fa; Yang, Chi-Chiang; Chen, Wen-Kang; Lin, Ding-Bang

doi:10.1016/S0929-6646(10)60009-5

« Previous Next »Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Volume 108, Issue 12 , Pages 957-963, December 2009

Pediatric Reference Intervals for Several Biochemical Analytes in School Children in Central Taiwan

Dong-Shang Lai
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Shivan-Chih Chen
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
Yih-Hsin Chang
- School of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
Chien-Yi Chen
- School of Medical Imaging and Radiology Science, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Jye-Bin Lin
- School of Medical Imaging and Radiology Science, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
Yi-Jiun Lin
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Shun-Fa Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Chi-Chiang Yang
- School of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Wen-Kang Chen
- National Tainan Institute of Nursing, Tainan, Taiwan
Ding-Bang Lin
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Correspondence to: Dr Ding-Bang Lin, School of Medical Technology, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Section 1, Jianguo North Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan

Received 10 November 2008; received in revised form 20 March 2009; accepted 29 June 2009.

Background/Purpose

Reference intervals of biochemical tests for screening for diabetes mellitus and liver and renal function among school children in Central Taiwan have never been documented. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the reference intervals for the above mentioned biochemical tests for pediatric populations.

Methods

A total of 4326 subjects, including 2029 kindergarten children, 1624 elementary-school children, 325 junior-high-school children, and 348 teachers were selected randomly in Central Taiwan. All serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr) and glucose levels were determined using a Beckman Synchron CX5 analyzer. The reference intervals reflected estimates of the 2.5^th–97.5^th percentiles of non-parametric distributions.

Results

Adults had significantly higher biochemical analyte values [except for BUN/creatinine (B/C) ratio] than children had. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that biochemical analyte values were significantly higher in male than in female subjects. The concentrations of glucose and Cr increased with age. On the contrary, the B/C ratio decreased with age.

Conclusion

Our study provides new pediatric reference intervals (2.5^th–97.5^th percentiles) of 60–99 mg/dL for serum glucose concentrations, 8–38 IU/L for ALT, 0.4–1.1 mg/L for Cr, 8.7–18.0 mg/L for BUN, and 10–34 for B/C ratio. The B/C ratio in children was higher than those of adults, possibily due to that children had a higher intake of protein.

Key Words: alanine transaminase , blood glucose , blood urea nitrogen , child , creatinine , Taiwan