Reference intervals of 24 trace elements in blood, plasma and erythrocytes for the Slovenian adult population

France Štiglic, Alenka (author), Falnoga, Ingrid (author), Sešek-Briški, Alenka (author), Žavbi, Marko (author), Osredkar, Joško (author), Skitek, Milan (author), Marc, Janja (author)

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to establish the population- and laboratory-specific reference intervals (RIs) for the Slovenian adult population for 24 trace elements (TEs) in blood, plasma and erythrocytes and to evaluate the impact of gender, age, seafood consumption, smoking habits and amalgam fillings on TEs levels. Methods: TEs (Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Se and Mo, Li, Be, V, Cr, Ni, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Sn, Cs, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb and U) were determined in 192 a priori selected blood donors (107 women and 85 men, aged 18–65 years), using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with the Octopole Reaction System. Participants filled out a questionnaire, and RIs were established according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for TEs. Results: Uniform RIs for non-essential and gender-specific for essential TEs in blood, plasma and erythrocytes were established. In our population, higher blood and plasma Cu, and erythrocyte Mn levels in women were found. In men, blood Zn, plasma Zn, Mn and Se, and erythrocyte Cu levels were higher. Zn levels were higher in 30–39 years age group. Pb and Sr increased with age. Smoking positively affected Cd, Pb, Cs and Rb; seafood consumption increased As, Hg and Zn; and amalgam increased Hg, Ag and Cu levels. Conclusions: Essential TEs were inside recommended levels, and the non-essential ones were far below critical levels. Established RIs will provide an important foundation for clinical diagnostics, safety erythrocyte transfusions assessment, toxicology and epidemiological studies.

• Language: English
• Keywords: amalgam fillings, essential trace elements, non-essential trace elements, gender, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, ICP-MS, seafood, smoking
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FFA - Faculty of Pharmacy
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 946–957
• Numbering: Vol. 62, iss. 5
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-160104
• UDC: 616-074
• ISSN on article: 1437-4331
• DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-0731
• COBISS.SI-ID: 173784835
• Publication date in RUL: 20.08.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine
• Shortened title: Clin. chem. lab. med.
• Publisher: De Gruyter, European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
• ISSN: 1437-4331
• COBISS.SI-ID: 680355

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: amalgamske zalivke, esencialni elementi v sledovih, nebistveni elementi v sledovih, spol, masna spektroskopija z induktivno sklopljeno plazmo, ICP-MS, morski sadeži, kajenje, klinična kemija, diagnostika