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Cholesterol and triglyceride reference ranges in the Republic of Ireland

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Summary

THE laboratory reference ranges for cholesterol and triglycerides were ascertained by telephone enquiry from 26 hospitals and 2 commercial medical school laboratories in the Republic of Ireland. For total cholesterol (mmol/l), the lower end of the reference range was 3.56 (0.39) mean (SD) and the individual value span was from 2.6 to 4.0. The upper limit values were 6.58 (0.52) mean (SD) a spread of values from 5.6 to 7.8. The triglyceride (mmol/l) range varied from 0.51 (0.26) mean (SD) with a spread of values from 0.1 to 0.84 at the lower end to 1.95 (0.18) mean (SD) spread from 1.7 to 2.3 at the higher end. These wide range variations in a homogeneous population suggest the necessity for a recalculation of values with special reference to analytical accuracy to allow meaningful use of recommended optimum values from the literature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Pathology, Richmond Hospital, Dublin 7, Ireland

    W. P. Tormey

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  1. W. P. Tormey
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Tormey, W.P. Cholesterol and triglyceride reference ranges in the Republic of Ireland. I.J.M.S. 157, 45–46 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02953684

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