Derivation of a formula for adjusting the total serum calcium in Nigeria environment

Abstract

The total calcium concentration, total protein, albumin and globulin were estimated for 302 patients that reported for serum calcium estimation at the clinical biochemistry laboratory of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria. Based on regression analysis, three formulae were
derived for adjusting the total serum calcium concentration. It was observed that the total serum concentration correlated closely with albumin (a = 0.919 70) but poorly correlated with total protein (a =-0.25 960); where a = correlation coefficient. Adjusted calcium = total calcium – (0.91972 x albumin) +3.70429 was obtained