Background: We studied serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), triiodothyronine (T3), free T3 (FT3), cortisol and growth hormone (GH) concentrations in a population of pediatric patients. The reference intervals were determined separately for females and males stratified by age groups to assess age- and sex-related differences. Our objective was to obtain reference intervals for the 7 serum analytes for our pediatric population using the IMMULITE 1000 system.
Methods: Serum samples of 800 in- and out-patients, newborn to 19 years old were analyzed using the DPC IMMULITE 1000 chemiluminescent immunoassay system.
Results and conclusions: We report pediatric reference intervals for FSH, LH, E2, T3, FT3, cortisol, and GH. These reference intervals provide the basis for clinical interpretation of laboratory results using the IMMULITE 1000 system and the assessment of child development.