Difficulties in establishing reference intervals for special fluids: the example of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and homovanillic acid in cerebrospinal fluids
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Jean-Louis Dhondt
Abstract
Biochemical measurements in “special fluids” are complicated with the problem of reference intervals. Reference intervals are difficult to establish for these types of samples since they are usually only collected in patients with clinical suspicion of disease. Determination of neurotransmitter metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid illustrates this difficulty. This paper will review the factors and circumstances that have been identified or are suspected to modifythe concentration of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in cerebrospinal fluid. In addition to obvious parameters such as age-related variation that can affect the concentration of 5-HIAA and HVA in cerebrospinal fluid, a varietyof other factors can explain the wide range of “control” group sizes reported in the literature. Reference intervals must take into account the purpose of cerebrospinal fluid examinations, whether they be prospective studies to explore physio-pathologic relationships or for diagnostic purposes. In the latter case, certain neurological disorders cannot be excluded if a single measured value is within the reference interval.
Copyright © 2004 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
Artikel in diesem Heft
- 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
Artikel in diesem Heft
- 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