Diagnostic and epidemiological implications of regional differences in serum concentrations of proteins observed in six Asian cities
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Kiyoshi Ichihara
Abstract
The IFCC Committee on Plasma Proteins has been investigating regional differences for commonly assayed plasma proteins to determine whether universal reference intervals can be applied. As a part of this study, we launched an Asian project analyzing the concentrations of 13 serum proteins whose values are standardized to CRM470, and five newer analytes: retinol-binding protein (RBP), cystatin C (CysC), lightchain-κ (L-κ), and light-chain-λ (L-λ). In Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Taipei and Shanghai, serum samples were collected from 146 to 415 apparently healthy individuals with nearly equal gender ratios. All assays were performed in Tokyo on a Behring Nephelometer II (BN II). Seven chemical analytes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyltransferase (γGT), creatinine, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)) were also measured. These results were used for excluding individuals with possible latent clinical disorders.
Positive acute phase reactants were consistently lower, and negative ones were higher, in Tokyo than those in other cities. The most conspicuous difference was observed in C-reactive protein (CRP). There were no regional differences in transferrin, albumin, or CysC. Creatinine was much lower in Tokyo despite comparable CysC levels. ALT and γGT were higher in Shanghai, Taipei and Seoul; γGT and TG were higher in Shanghai; and HDL-C was higher in Tokyo.
Gender-related differences in reference intervals were observed for immunoglobulin (Ig)M, haptoglobin, RBP, transferrin, α2-macroglobulin (A2M), transthyretin, α1-acid glycoprotein, CysC, and C4 in all cities. Slight age-related differences were observed, irrespective ofthe region, in IgA and ceruloplasmin (increase) and A2M (decrease).
Environmental factors and lifestyle seem to have a great influence on many commonly measured analytes.
Copyright (c) 2004 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
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Articles in the same Issue
- Editors introduction
- Reference values: from philosophy to a tool for laboratory medicine
- The evolution of the reference value concept
- Normality: the unreachable star?
- Selecting clinically relevant populations for reference intervals
- The IFCC recommendation on estimation of reference intervals. The RefVal Program
- Graphical interpretation of confidence curves in rankit plots
- Partitioning biochemical reference data intosubgroups: comparison of existing methods
- Parametric methods for estimating covariate-dependent reference limits
- Reference regions of two or more dimensions
- Should we maintain the 95 percent reference intervals in the era of wellness testing? A concept paper
- Clinical interpretation of reference intervals and reference limits. A plea for assay harmonization
- Inherent biological variation and reference values
- Intraindividual reference values
- Guideline for the production of multicentre physiological reference values using the same measurement system. A proposal of the Catalan Association for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
- Proposal for guidelines to establish common biological reference intervals in large geographical areas for biochemical quantities measured frequently in serum and plasma
- Reference intervals for plasma proteins: similarities and differences between adult Caucasian and Asian Indian males in Yorkshire, UK
- Diagnostic and epidemiological implications of regional differences in serum concentrations of proteins observed in six Asian cities
- Study of reference values and biological variation: a necessity and a model for Preventive Medicine Centers
- Creation of a low-risk reference group and referenceinterval of fasting venous plasma glucose
- Establishment of a serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) reference interval in healthy adults. The importance of environmental factors, including thyroid antibodies
- Difficulties in establishing reference intervals for special fluids: the example of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and homovanillic acid in cerebrospinal fluids
- Metrological traceability of calibration in the estimation and use of common medical decision-making criteria
- Creation of the necessary analytical quality for generating and using reference intervals
- Analytical quality specifications for common reference intervals
- Design of internal quality control for reference value studies
- The NEXUS vision: an alternative to the reference value concept
- Meetings and Awards