Ethnic variation in certain hematological and biochemical reference intervals in a south Indian healthy adult population

Abstract Background We established the biochemical and hematological reference intervals among a south Indian healthy adult population attending an HIV referral centre in Chennai, southern India. Methods In a cross sectional study, 213 study subjects (129 male and 84 female) were studied between March and August 2005. All of the parameters were analyzed using standard hematological and biochemical techniques. Results Certain biochemical (viz. total bilirubin, alanine transaminase, albumin, creatinine, total protein, lipid profile, creatine phospokinase, uric acid and lactate) and hematological (mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and lymphocyte levels) parameters presented higher upper limits. In addition, the upper limits of white blood cell count, platelet count, hematocrit, red blood cell count and hemoglobin level were low in comparison to the currently reported ranges. Conclusion Ethnic variation in reference intervals was observed in certain biochemical and hematological analytes in a south Indian adult population.