In health-related fields, a reference range or reference interval usually describes the variations of a measurement or value in healthy individuals. It is a basis for a physician or other health professional to interpret a set of results for a particular patient.
The standard definition of a reference range (usually referred to if not otherwise specified) basically originates in what is most prevalent in a reference group taken from the population. However, there are also optimal health ranges that are those that appear to have the optimal health impact on people.
Read more about Reference Range: Standard Definition, Optimal Health Range, One-sided Cut-off Values, General Drawbacks, Examples
Famous quotes containing the words reference and/or range:
“The common behavior of mankind is the system of reference by means of which we interpret an unknown language.”
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951)
“Jane Addams, founder of Hull House, once asked, “How shall we respond to the dreams of youth?” It is a dazzling and elegant question, a question that demands an answer—a range of answers, really, spiraling outward in widening circles.”
—William Ayers, U.S. author. To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, ch. 7 (1993)