At 2001-05-09 17:16 +0100, Jeffrey Barron wrote:
>The paediatric endocrinologist has noted that a number of children have a
>normal total calcium with a raised corrected calcium, due to a high albumin.
>I require advice as to whether we should continue to give a corrected
>calcium for children because the formula is probably adult derived. Is
>there another formula for children ?
As far as I know there has never been any evaluation of the formulae for
corrected calcium for children. Any such evaluation should be done in
comparison with ionized calcium as a "golden standard".
If the paediatrics state that the children do not show any sign of
hypercalceamia it is probably true, and then the formula for correction
should be questioned.
If you don't have an instrument for ionized calcium you should borrow or
lease one in order to test both the total and albumin corrected values
against this "golden standard".
Also note that newborn babies (the first three days of living) really shall
have an increased calcium level. Otherwise the reference range for ionized
calcium is identical for all ages and also between species.
Best wishes
Mr Sten Öhman, PhD
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