Table 1 Summary of outcomes: measurement and health risks
From: Chronic disease and malnutrition biomarkers among unemployed immigrants and Canadian born adults
Biomarkers | Unit of measure | Kit used to measure | Normal value | Health risk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Women | Men | ||||
Inflammatory markers | |||||
 C-reactive protein | mg/L | hsCRP Reagent from VITROS Chemistry Products | <  5 mg /L | < 1.0 mg/L: lowest risk 1.0–3.0 mg/L: average risk ≥ 3 mg/L: highest risk | |
 Fibrinogen | g/L | Sysmex CA-500 SERIES analyzer | 2–4 g/L | Elevated levels increases the risk of cardiovascular disease Low level can be related to malnutrition or liver disease | |
Metabolic markers | |||||
 Blood glucose | mmol/L | VITROS Chemistry Systems | 3.5–6 mmol/L | 5,6–6 mmol/L: abnormal ≥ 7 mmol/L: provisional diagnosis of diabetes | |
 Glycosylated hemoglobin | percentage of hemoglobin A1 | VITROS Chemistry Products | 4.5–6% | 6- -7%: diabetes >  8%: poorly controlled diabetes | |
 Total Cholesterol | mmol/L | VITROS Chemistry Products | <  5.18 mmol/L | 5.18–6.19 mmol/L: upper limit >  6.20 mmol/L: high value | |
 HDL Cholesterol | mmol/L | VITROS dHDL slide | >  1.30 | >  1.03 | Low level increases cardiovascular risk |
Nutritional markers | |||||
 Albumin | g/L | VITROS ALB Slides and the VITROS Chemistry Products Calibrator Kit 4 on VITROS Chemistry Systems | 40–50 g/L | Lower level can be a sign of malnutrition, or severe inflammation | |
 Hemoglobin | g/L | – | 120 – 160 g/L | 130–180 g/L | Lower level is a sign of anemia |