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.
(© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)