Upsala J Med Sci 98: 415-416, 1993 

6.3.2 Databases for Facilitating Work on Setting 
Quality Specifications: Biological variation 

C. G. Fraser 
Department of Biochemical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland 

Data on within-subject and between-subject biological variation are essential prerequisites 

to many strategies used to set quality specifications. The data in the literature have been 

collated in three reviews. These and data published to date in 1992 are listed here to 

facilitate future work. 

Data to 1980 

Ross JW. Evaluation of precision. In, Werner M, ed. CRC Handbook of Clinical 

Chemistry. Boca Raton, Fla, CRC Press, vol 1, pp 391-422. 

Data, 1981-1987 

Fraser CG. The application of theoretical goals based on biological variation data in 

clinical chemistry. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1988; 112: 404-415. 

Data, 1988-1991 

Fraser CG. Biological variation in clinical chemistry. An update: collated data, 1988-1991. 

Arch Pathol Lab Med 1992; 116: 916-923. 

Data, 1992 to date 

Ortola J, Castineiras MJ, Fuentes-Arderiu X. Biological variation data applied to the 

selection of serum lipid ratios used as risk markers of coronary heart disease. Clin Chem 

1992; 38: 56-59. 

Kafonek SD, Derby CA, Bachorik PS. 

apolipoproteins in patients referred to a lipid clinic. Clin Chem 1992; 38: 864-872. 

Biological variability of lipoproteins and 

41 5 



Fuentes-Arderiu X, Albert P. Within-subject biological variation of pituitary - ovarian axis 
hormones and desirable imprecision. Clin Chim Acta 1992; 207: 257-259. 

Dot D, Miro J, Fuentes-Arderiu X. Within-subject biological variation of hematological 

quantities and analytical goals. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1992; 116: 825-826. 

Pagani F, Panteghini N. Biological variability of lipoprotein (a) [LP(a)] in serum. Clin 

Chem 1992; 38: 1058-1059 

Gallacher SK, Johnston LK, Milne DB. Short-term and long-term variability of selected 

indices related to nutritional status. XI. Vitamins, lipids, and protein indices. Clin Chem 
1992; 38: 1149-1153. 

Jimenez CV. Variabilidad bilogica intraindividual de las magnitudes citohematologicas 

como objectivo de calidad analitica (within-subject biological variation of haematological 

quantities as analytical quality goals). Quim Clin 1992; 11: 147-150. 

Simon M, Macia M, Ribera C, et al. Objectivos analyticas de calidad en la determinacion 

de diversos constuyentes en orina (analytical quality goals for various quantities in urine). 

Quim Clin 1992; 11: 156-160. 

Alvarez V, Hernandez A, Macia M, et al. Election del major especimen para la 

determinacion de constituyentes en orina. Us0 de 10s datas de variabilidad biologica 

(Selection of the best specimen for analysis of urine quantities: use of data on biological 

variation). Quim Clin 1992; 11: 161-165. 

Correspondence: 

Callum G Fraser, 

Department of Biochemical Medicine, 

Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, 

Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland. 

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