We propose a new methodology for the estimation of reference intervals for data sets with small numbers of observations or for those with substantial numbers of outliers. We propose a prediction interval that uses robust estimates of location and scale. The SAS software can be readily modified to do these calculations. We compared four reference interval procedures (nonparametric, transformed, ...

A 38-year-old white male taxi driver was referred to a lipid clinic by his general practitioner for management of combined hyperlipidemia. He was a smoker with a 20 packyear history. His father had died of myocardial infarction at age 55 years. Examination of this patient revealed a blood pressure of 136/99 mmHg and a body mass index of 29 kg/m, with no clinical signs of hyperlipidemia. Cholest...