One of the major objectives of laboratory informatics is to develop database systems for test results. Such a database should be designed with the distinct objective of determining the normal range. To understand the normal range, however, more information on possible risk factors must be directly analyzed in population studies. In our population-based study, we found that carotid arteriosclerosis is independently correlated with LDL cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and HbA_1C(the Niigata Study). Through this study, we will be able to obtain normal ranges for some important laboratory tests.


*Division of Clinical Preventive Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Niigata 951-8510

【Key Words】laboratory informatics, patient database, population-based study, normal range