Breaking research at ADLM 2026 could significantly improve pediatric testing in Vietnam

ANAHEIM, Calif., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of researchers for the first time has established comprehensive, age-specific reference intervals for complete blood count (CBC) tests in healthy Vietnamese children, to help laboratories interpret results more appropriately for this population. The work was presented today at ADLM 2026 in Anaheim, California.

CBC is one of the most frequently ordered laboratory tests in children, commonly used when evaluating anemia, infections, inflammatory conditions, and platelet abnormalities. However, pediatric reference intervals — the common range of values expected for a specific test — used in Vietnam often had been derived from non-Vietnamese populations, said lead investigator Dr. Duyen Nguyen of Vietnam National Children's Hospital in Hanoi. Because blood parameters can vary across populations and change substantially during growth and development, Dr. Nguyen and colleagues wanted to establish age-appropriate reference intervals based on healthy Vietnamese children.

While reviewing records from close to 4,000 Vietnamese children, investigators found that age has a major influence on normal blood count values. "This means that a result considered normal for an infant may not be normal for an adolescent, and vice versa," Dr. Nguyen said. The group also found that normal CBC values change considerably throughout childhood. "For example, white blood cell counts are naturally higher in infancy and gradually decrease with age, while red blood cell parameters increase during growth and show sex-related differences mainly after puberty."

Between 2024 and 2025, Dr. Nguyen and colleagues recruited 3,982 healthy children aged 0-19 through community- and school-based health screening programs in multiple regions of Vietnam. They analyzed peripheral blood samples collected from participants using an automated hematology system to establish reference intervals.

The total white blood cell upper reference limits declined from 15.17 x 10⁹/L in infants less than 6 months of age to 10.71 x 10⁹/L in adolescents aged 12-19. Counts of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, increased progressively with age. Counts of platelets, cell fragments that help form clots, decreased gradually across childhood while mean platelet volume showed modest age-related increases. Red blood cell parameters — including red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit — increased throughout childhood, with sex-specific differences emerging only after puberty. In adolescents aged 12-19, hemoglobin upper reference limits were 171 g/L in males and 150 g/L in females.

"Our findings are primarily intended to improve laboratory interpretation," Dr. Nguyen said. "More appropriate pediatric reference intervals may reduce the likelihood of classifying healthy children as abnormal simply because the reference values were derived from a different population. This can support more informed clinical decision-making and reduce unnecessary follow-up investigations."

Many pediatricians and laboratory professionals across Vietnam had been eagerly awaiting locally derived pediatric reference intervals, Dr. Nguyen said: "We hope these data will serve as a national reference resource and support more consistent interpretation of CBC results in children throughout the country."

Session information
ADLM 2026 registration is free for members of the media. Reporters can register online here: https://xpressreg.net/register/adlm0726/media/landing.asp

Abstract A-247: Developmental changes in hematologic parameters across childhood: Establishment of population-based reference intervals in Vietnamese children will be presented during:

Scientific poster session
Tuesday, July 28
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (presenting authors in attendance from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.)

The session will take place in the Poster Hall on the Expo show floor of the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

About ADLM 2026

ADLM 2026 offers 5 days packed with opportunities to learn about exciting science from July 26-30 in Anaheim, California. Plenary sessions will explore landmark diabetes studies, the role of laboratory medicine in keeping astronauts healthy, the connection between Alzheimer's and Down syndrome, advances in cervical cancer screening, and the search for new cancer biomarkers using mass spectrometry.

At the ADLM 2026 Clinical Lab Expo, more than 700 exhibitors will fill the show floor of the Anaheim Convention Center, with displays of the latest diagnostic technology, including but not limited to artificial intelligence, point-of-care, and automation.

About the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM)
Dedicated to achieving better health for all through laboratory medicine, ADLM unites more than 70,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from 110 countries around the world. Our community is at the forefront of laboratory medicine's diverse subdisciplines, including clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, clinical microbiology, and data science, and is comprised of individuals holding the spectrum of lab-related professional degrees, certifications, and credentials. Since 1948, ADLM has championed the advancement of laboratory medicine by fostering scientific collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of innovative solutions that enhance health outcomes. For more information, visit www.myadlm.org.

Christine DeLong
ADLM
Director, Editorial and Media Relations
(p) 202.835.8722
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Bill Malone
ADLM
Senior Director, Strategic Communications
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SOURCE Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM)