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. 2022 Aug 23:15:6701-6711.
doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S376450. eCollection 2022.

Establishment of Reference Intervals for Serum Protein Electrophoresis of Apparently Healthy Adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Demiraw Bikila  1 , Tadesse Lejisa  1 , Yosef Tolcha  1 , Chala Bashea  1 , Mehari Meles  1 , Tigist Getahun  1 , Genet Ashebir  1 , Wossene Habtu  1 , Feyissa Challa  1 , Ousman Mohammed  2 , Melkitu Kassaw  3 , Adisu Kebede  4 , Letebrhan G/Egzeabher  5 , Endalkachew Befekadu  6 , Mistire Wolde  7 , Aster Tsegaye  7
Affiliations

Establishment of Reference Intervals for Serum Protein Electrophoresis of Apparently Healthy Adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Demiraw Bikila et al. Int J Gen Med. .

Abstract

Background: Even though several factors affect reference intervals (RIs), company-derived values are currently in use in many laboratories worldwide. However, few or no data are available regarding serum proteins RIs, especially in resource-limited countries such as Ethiopia.

Objective: To establish RIs for serum protein electrophoresis of apparently healthy adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 297 apparently healthy adults from April to October 2019 in four selected sub-cities (Akaki, Kirkos, Arada, and Yeka) of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Laboratory analysis of collected samples was performed using the Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing analyzer, while statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23 and Med-Calc software. The Mann-Whitney test was used to check partitions. A non-parametric method of reference range establishment was performed as per CLSI guideline EP28A3C.

Results: The established RIs were: albumin 53.83-64.59%, 52.24-63.55%; alpha-1 globulin 3.04-5.40%, 3.44-5.60%; alpha-2 globulin 8.0-12.67%, 8.44-12.87%; and beta-1 globulin 5.01-7.38%, 5.14-7.86%. Moreover, the albumin to globulin ratios were 1.16-1.8 and 1.09-1.74 for males and females, respectively. The combined RIs for beta-2 globulin and gamma globulin were 2.54-4.90% and 12.40-21.66%, respectively.

Conclusion: The established reference interval for serum protein fractions revealed gender-specific differences, except for beta-2 globulin and gamma globulin.

Keywords: Addis Ababa; Ethiopia; reference interval; serum protein electrophoresis.

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Conflict of interest statement

A thesis of this paper by Bikila et al has previously been published.25 The abstract of this paper was presented at the International Conference on Clinical Pathology, Diagnostic Techniques and Testing as a poster presentation with interim findings. The poster’s abstract was published in “Poster Abstracts” in International Journal of Medical and Health Sciences.26 All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

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