Intervalos de referência para elementos menores e traço em cabelo humano para a população da cidade do Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Abstract

Marquês de São Vicente, 225, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro-RJ Recebido em 29/11/00; aceito em 6/7/01 REFERENCE INTERVALS FOR MINOR AND TRACE ELEMENTS IN HUMAN HAIR FOR THE POPULATION OF RIO DE JANEIRO CITY, BRAZIL. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been used for the determination of twenty minor and trace elements in hair samples from an urban population group (N = 1775), aiming at the establishment of reliable hair reference intervals. Statistical evaluation of the data with respect to age, sex and anatomic region was performed by multivariant analysis and according to recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC). The results show that mainly age and anatomic region (scalp or pubis) influence significantly the concentration of several elements. Comparison of the here calculated reference intervals with those previously published and used by clinical laboratories for this population showed larger discrepancies and the need for an urgent revision of these data.