The establishment of biological reference intervals of nontraditional glycemic markers in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: We established the reference intervals for glycated albumin (GA), fructosamine (FA), and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) in a Chinese healthy population. METHODS: This study enrolled a total of 458 eligible reference individuals, consisted of 226 men and 232 women, aged from 20~79 years (median age 43 years), who attending routine healthy checks. We stratified the subjects according to gender (males and females) and age (20-39, 40-59, and 60-79 years), and combined statistical methods with Lahti algorithm, as well as appropriate clinical consideration, to judge whether partitioning for data was needed. RESULTS: Glycated albumin levels between males and females were statistically different (P<.001), but the absolute difference between the upper reference limits was only 0.31%, which was too small to be clinically relevant. GA levels across the three age groups were statistically different (P<.001), and Lahti algorithm suggested partitioning for 20-59 and 60-79 years, which reference intervals were 10.38%-13.89% and 10.23%-14.79%, respectively. 1,5-AG levels in males were significant higher than females (P<.001), and absolute difference was 51 µmol/L (8.5 µg/mL) in mean level. Thus, partitioning for gender was needed. Reference intervals for 1,5-AG were 107-367 µmol/L for males and 79-306 µmol/L for females. The absolute difference of the lower reference limits for FA was only 7 µmol/L between males and females. FA levels across the three age groups were not statistically different (P>.05). The reference interval for FA was 220-298 µmol/L. CONCLUSION: New reference intervals for nontraditional glycemic markers were established based on a Chinese population.

Measurement of electrolyte concentrations in expressed prostatic secretion and urine from patients with chronic prostatitis and its implications.

This study was aimed at measuring concentration of electrolytes, especially K+ in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and urine from patients with chronic prostatitis. The concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium in EPS and urine of 31 controls and 79 patients with prostatitis were measured and analyzed. There was no significant difference in the concentrations of potassium, sodium, chloride and calcium between the patients and the controls. Among the patients treated effectively, potassium concentration was 40.66 +/- 17.10 mmol/l before treatment and 33.42 +/- 17.27 mmol/l after treatment. While among the patients treated ineffectively, potassium concentration was measured as 37.57 +/- 16.93 mmol/l and 50.66 +/- 18.77 mmol/l before and after treatment respectively. The concentrations of electrolytes in prostatic fluid varied greatly between individuals. Potassium concentration in EPS decreased significantly after treatment among the patients with obvious treatment effectiveness, while increased among those who failed the treatment. EPS potassium concentration was also found to be lower in patients with pain than those without pain. No significant difference was found between the normal group and the no-pain patients.