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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The progressive increase in the number of immigrants to Spain in recent years has made it necessary for health-care professionals to be aware about the specific characteristics of this population. An attempt is made in this study to define the normal range of common laboratory values in healthy sub-Saharan adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Common laboratory values were studied (blood cell counts, clotting tests and blood biochemistry values) and were measured in 150 sub-Saharan immigrants previously defined as healthy according to a complete health evaluation that included a clinical history, physical examination, serologic tests and study of stool parasites. These results were compared to those from a control group consisting of 81 age-and-sex matched healthy blood donors taken from the Spanish native population. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were obtained in the following values. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), total leukocytes, and serum levels of creatinine, uric acid, total protein content, creatin-kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT), Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and M (IgM). If evaluated according to the normal values in native people, a considerable percentage of healthy sub-Saharan immigrants would present <> values (with potential clinical relevance) in the following parameters. MCV, RDW, total leukocyte counts and serum levels of CK, IgG and IgM. CONCLUSIONS: A proper interpretation of the common laboratory values in sub-Saharan immigrants, and probably in other foreign collectives, requires a previously-established range of normality in these parameters for those populations in order to avoid diagnostic mistakes and inadequate work-up and management.

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Fundamento y objetivos. El incremento progresivo del número de inmigrantes en España en los últimos años ha obligado a los profesionales sanitarios a considerar las características específicas de esta población. En este estudio se intentan determinar los valores normales de los inmigrantes procedentes del África subsahariana en los valores analíticos solicitados con mayor frecuencia en la práctica clínica. Sujetos de estudio y métodos. Se estudiaron los valores habituales de laboratorio (hemograma, pruebas de coagulación y estudios bioquímicos sanguíneos) en 150 inmigrantes previamente definidos como sanos tras efectuar un examen de salud que incluía una historia clínica protocolizada, estudios serológicos y estudio coproparasitario. Estos datos se compararon con los de un grupo control de 81 donantes sanos, de edad y sexo similares, de población autóctona. Resultados. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre ambos grupos en la determinación de volumen corpuscular medio(VCM), amplitud de distribución eritrocitaria, leucocitos totales, creatinina, ácido úrico, proteínas totales, creatin quinasa (CK), aspartato aminotransferasa, gamma glutamil transpeptidasa, inmunoglobulinas G y M (IgG, IgM). Teniendo en cuenta los valores de referencia, un porcentaje significativo de personas subsaharianas sanaspresentarían valores «anormales» en las siguientes magnitudes: VCM, ADE, leucocitos totales proteínas totales, CK, IgG e IgM. Conclusiones. La valoración de los datos de laboratorio en la población subsahariana, y posiblemente en otros grupos de inmigrantes, requiere establecer previamente el rango de normalidad adecuado para evitar errores diagnósticos y actitudes terapéuticas erróneas (AU)

Background and aims. The progressive increase in the number of immigrants to Spain in recent years has made it necessary for health-care professionals to be aware about the specific characteristics of this population. An attempt is made in this study to define the normal range of common laboratory values in healthy sub-Saharan adults. Subjects and methods. Common laboratory values were studied (blood cell counts, clotting tests and blood biochemistry values) and were measured in150 sub-Saharan immigrants previously defined as healthy according to a complete health evaluation that included a clinical history, physical examination, serologic tests and study of stool parasites. These results were compared to those from a control group consisting of 81 age-and-sex matched healthy blood donors taken from the Spanish native population. Results. Statistically significant differences were obtained in the following values. mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), total leukocytes, and serum levels of creatinine, uric acid, total protein content, creatin-kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT), Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and M(IgM). If evaluated according to the normal values in native people, a considerable percentage of healthy sub-Saharan immigrants would present «abnormal» values (with potential clinical relevance) in the following parameters. MCV, RDW, total leukocyte counts and serum levels of CK, IgG and IgM. Conclusions. A proper interpretation of the common laboratory values in sub-Saharan immigrants, and probably in other foreign collectives, requires a previously-established range of normality in these parameters for those populations in order to avoid diagnostic mistakes and inadequate work-up and management (AU)

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