Importance of biological variation data of analytes in interpretation of laboratory results

Clinical laboratories should minimize all the sources of variations (preanalytical, analitical and biological variations) and manage them during the entire process leading to the laboratory report. Biological variation data of analytes has been widely used in for many purposes, such as evaluating the significance of changes in serial results which is known as reference change values. Conventional population based reference values do have serious intrinsic problems and thus, there is a need for revisiting practical applications of these values for getting more useful laboratory data. This paper explains the magnitude of within- and between subject biological variation of analytes and details the reference change value applications of biological variation data. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2013; 22(2.000): 252-258]