Reference values of common blood chemistry analytes in healthy population of Rawalpindi-Islamabad area.

The reference values of common blood chemistry analytes in healthy population, aged newborn to 80 years, of Rawalpindi Islamabad area were determined at AFIP, Rawalpindi. A total of 2115 healthy subjects, 1206 males and 909 females, were included in the study. Plasma glucose was analysed by GOD/POD, serum cholesterol by CHOD/PAP, triglycerides by GPO/PAP, urea by urease/GLDH, creatinine by Jaffe' rate reaction, uric acid by uricase, total bilirubin by Jendrassik and Grof, total protein by biuret, alanine transaminase (ALT) by optimized IFCC and alkaline phosphatase (AP) by optimized DGKC method. The between batch CVs of all the parameters were within acceptable quality goals. The reference values were calculated using 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles as lower and upper limits (95% CI). In healthy adult males the reference values were: fasting plasma glucose, 3.6-6.0 mmol/l; serum cholesterol; 3.2-6.6 mmol/l; triglycerides, 0.6-2.3 mmol/l; urea, 2.8-6.4 mmol/l; creatinine, 65-132 umol/l; uric acid, 164-430 umol/l; total bilirubin, 5-18 umol/l; total protein, 57-83 g/l; ALT, 15-45 U/l and AP, 185-620 U/l. The values in adult females, children and elderly subjects were slightly different than adult males. The reference values of our population show mild to moderate differences from the other Asian, European and American populations. It is recommended that reference values of different biochemical investigations should be established in various areas of Pakistan to make appropriate use of such investigations.