Not quite a bit pregnant

[stephbg]

Blood test results always annoy me. You get a number, and a normal range. Personally, I find this completely meaningless.



I've finally got my cholesterol test results (a mere two months or so down the track). It was the first time I've had it tested, so that reduces the information value even further. At 6.6, my total cholesterol is "a bit high" for it should ideally be below 5.5. I find this completely meaningless. Is this a big deal? Is that 1.1 difference a meaningless statistical artifact or is my heart about to stop? Does any interpretation depend on a detailed medical history? My GP acknowledges the difference between linear and log scales (or at least pretends to - apparently I frighten him sometimes) but tells me nothing useful. I have a shiny new pamphlet which also fails to tell me anything relevant.

*goes off grumbling to educate self about fat*

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/doctor_k_/]

It's too high. You're 20% over the upper limit of safe, which spells increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other nastiness.

The 1.1 difference ends up being all very much related to normal range. Haemoglobin 1.1 below normal range? Whatever.
Potassium 1.1 above normal range? Let's get you straight to dialysis.

(Hb is normally up around 120, K normally 3.5 - 4.5)

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bigjobbies_/]

generally normal ranges are calculated based on the mean result for a population +/- 2SD - meaning 95% of healthy individuals will have results in that range (this assumes normal distribution of results).

normal ranges are not really useful for cholesterol - instead labs use 5.5 as the upper limit of 'healthy' as recommended by the National Heart Foundation.

[http://users.livejournal.com/doctor_k_/]

*laughs* Yes, normal is all abit differnt out here in Central Australia.
Potassium in fact has a "normal" range of 1.5 - 7 in this population (with some outliers out at 10).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bigjobbies_/]

bloody hell !
I'm assuming that has nothing to do with sample storage - and more to do with individuals who should not still be alive ?