Reference values for serum protein and electrolyte study from Rwanda.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate reference values of serum proteins and electrolytes in a student population in Butare, Rwanda (altitude: 1768 m; barometric pressure: 629 mm Hg). DESIGN: A laboratory based cross-sectional study. SETTING: The units of physiology and clinical chemistry, department of medical biology, Butare University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, National University of Rwanda, from February 2002 to May 2003. SUBJECTS: Young healthy adults were selected randomly from the students of the National University of Rwanda, using Epi-Info 6.04 software. RESULTS: The results mean and reference range (2.5th-97.5th percentile) in brackets - are as follows: total proteins: male: 7.3 (6.3-8.4) g/dL, female: 7.3 (6.5-8.5) g/dL; albumin: male: 4.3 (3.1-5.2) g/dL, female: 4.1 (3.2-5.0) g/dL; globulins: male: 3.1 (2.0-4.2) g/dL. female: 3.2 (2.1-4.2) g/dL; sodium: male: 138.5 (130-147) mmol/L, female: 139.8 (132-153) mmol/L; potassium: 4.0 (3.1-5.0) mmol/L both in male and in female; chloride: males: 104.4 (96-112) mmol/L, females: 106.1 (98-114) mmol/L; phosphates: male: 1.13 (0.65-1.59) mmol/L, female: 1.17 (0.71-1.52) mmol/L. CONCLUSION: The values of serum proteins and electrolytes are comparable to classical sea level values; however there is a slight increase in serum chloride.