A COMPUTER-PROGRAM FOR CONSTRUCTING MULTIVARIATE REFERENCE MODELS

From a statistical point of view the simultaneous interpretation of mu ltiple variables should be performed with a multivariate reference mod el rather than with multiple univariate reference intervals. A compute r program for constructing and testing multivariate reference models i s described. The use of the computer program is illustrated with a dat a set of total serum calcium concentrations and serum albumin concentr ations from 222 2nd year medical students. Using a single univariate r eference interval for total serum calcium, 17 students were classified as having an abnormal calcemic status while using a bivariate referen ce model for total serum calcium and serum albumin, 13 of these 17 stu dents had in fact normal total serum calcium concentrations, taking in to account their serum albumin concentrations. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scien ce Ireland Ltd.