Reference Intervals for Potassium, Sodium and Chloride among Libyan Healthy People

Abstract

Milud Ahmed Salem, Abdounasser Albasher Omar and Fathe Abdullah Ahmed

Background: In Libya, all laboratories use reference intervals (RIs) derived from other country’s populations, which differ from Libyan population in many aspects such as daily habits and race. Due to these differences, it is assumed that those RIs are not applicable to Libyans.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish RIs of sodium, potassium and chloride in serum of Libyan people.

Materials and Methods: Two hundred and fifty-seven blood specimens of healthy people (males and females) were collected using venipuncture untreated tubes. The specimens were centrifuged for 15 minutes and the obtained sera were analyzed for their content of sodium, potassium and chloride using direct potentiometry method.

Results and Discussion: The non-parametric percentile method was applied to establish the RIs of sodium, chloride and potassium, which were found to be: 135-143.3; 103-110; 3.7-5.2 mmol/L, respectively. There were no considerable differences in lower limits and/or upper limits of all established RIs between males and females, except that the upper limit of Cl− for females was slightly higher than that for males. Conclusion: As there are evident regional differences in RIs, the established RIs in this study will be more favorable in Libya than those listed in the manufacturer’s kit or those adopted from other population-based references.

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