Reference intervals aid clinical decision-making for clinical chemistry values. Laboratory test results are compared to reference intervals to aid in the diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring decisions. Due to the differences in ethnicity, gender, age, and analytical methods, reference intervals (RIs) vary between populations. This study aimed to establish the reference values for renal function tests in targeted populations in Indonesia. This research was conducted with a cross-sectional observational analytic design. The research sample consisted of medical check-up data from health professionals at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Hospital in Palembang, Indonesia. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to determine the normality of data distribution. The RIs were computed using reference limits at the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles (abnormal distribution) or ±two standard deviations (±2 SD) (normal distribution). The independent t-test (parametric) or Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the RIs of males and females (non-parametric). Males and females had a significant difference (P<0.001) regarding the values of uric acid, urea, and creatinine parameters, requiring the reference intervals to be separated. The following reference intervals were established: uric acid: 230,78-526,99 mol/L for males and 179,03-415.17 mol/L for females, urea: 2,22-4,99 mmol/L for males and 1,78-4,28 mmol/L for females, and creatinine: 61,01-106,99 mol/L for males and 40,67-77,81 mol/L for females. This study defined gender-specific RIs for three renal function test parameters for the adult population of Palembang, Indonesia. The deployment of population-specific RIs may facilitate better laboratory testing.
Keywords: Clinical laboratory; Kidney function tests; Reference values.