African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (12), pp. 1250-1253, 16 June 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

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

O. F. Ogunkolo¹*, A. A.  Amballi², F. A. Adenaike², Olukoya Taiwo²

¹Department of Physiology, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences.  Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Shagamu Nigeria.

²Department of Chemical Pathology Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences.  Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Shagamu Nigeria.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: franciskoya@yahoo.com.

Accepted 27 May, 2006

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.

Key words: Total serum calcium, adjusting formula, serum albumin.