Browsing by Author "Mutua David Nzioka"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Establishment of Hematological and Biochemical Reference Intervals for Pregnant and No pregnant Women in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-08) Mutua David Nzioka
    Clinical laboratory parameters from healthy persons differ significantly between populations, mainly driven by environmental, nutritional, demographic and genetic factors. Despite this, reference intervals derived from Caucasian populations are used in Nairobi County, Kenya to interpret laboratory test results due to the absence of locally derived reference values. This can lead to misclassification of patients. This study aimed to establish age-and trimester-specific hematological and biochemical reference intervals for pregnant and non-pregnant women in Nairobi County, Kenya. Reference intervals were determined using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute C28-A3 guidelines in a sample of 1,458 women. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Median values and nonparametric 95% reference values for the parameters were determined. Test of normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Shapiro-Wilk test was significant (p < 0.05). Significant differences in medians were determined using Kruskal-Wallis H test followed by Mann-Whitney U test with adjusted significant ρ-value of less than 0.0083. Independent of the age group, the reference intervals for red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, platelets, total protein, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, total bilirubin, urea, creatinine, calcium, and phosphorus for non-pregnant women were significantly higher than that of the pregnant women in their first, second and third trimester with minimal differences within and between the trimesters. However, the reference intervals for mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width, white blood cells, lymphocytes, granulocytes, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, sodium, potassium, chloride, total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins, high density lipoproteins, and triglycerides for non-pregnant women were significantly lower than that of the pregnant women in their first, second and third trimester with minimal differences within and between the trimesters. In age-set comparison, the reference intervals for red blood cell, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, plateletcrit, mean platelet volume, total protein, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, and triglycerides for non-pregnant women, and pregnant women in their first, second, and third trimester are similar. However, significant differences were found in the reference intervals for hemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width, white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, platelets, platelet distribution width, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins, and high density lipoproteins for non-pregnant women, and pregnant women in their first, second, and third trimester. D-BIL had the minimum out of range percentage (0%) in non-pregnant and in first trimester, while CAL and HDL-CHOL had the maximum out of range percentage (100%) across the trimesters and age groups. Differences in reference intervals for between our study population and other populations highlight the importance of developing local reference intervals for proper clinical care. The developed reference intervals can be adapted for use in Clinical laboratories within the County and other Counties with similar geographical and environmental factors.