Reference intervals for plasma pro-gastrin releasing peptide (ProGRP) levels in healthy adults of Chinese Han ethnicity

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the upper limits of the 95th percentile reference intervals (RIs) for the detection of the pro-gastrin releasing peptide (ProGRP) in plasma according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) C28-A3 guideline in a population of adult Chinese of Han ethnicity. Methods: Plasma samples were collected from 578 healthy adults. Plasma ProGRP values were measured by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) on Abbot ARCHITECT i2000 system analyzers. Results: Plasma ProGRP values did not conform to a Gaussian distribution, and thus non-parametric statistical methods were used to calculate RIs. Plasma ProGRP levels significantly increased with age, thus age-dependent RIs were determined. The upper limit of the 95th percentile RIs for plasma ProGRP was ≤57.26 pg/mL for young adults (18-50 years) and ≤81.42 pg/mL for old adults (>50 years). Conclusions: By CMIA, we established distinct age-dependent RIs for plasma ProGRP in healthy adults of Chinese Han ethnicity, thus generating a valuable reference for future clinical and laboratory studies.