Individual Variability Reexamined with Standard Clinical Measures

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Abstract
The very marked day-to-day variations in many biochemical constituents of the body, so that a single determination may be misleading or meaningless is emphasized. Two main types of findings are presented: (1) single measurements on each person in 3 large groups of subjects, and (2) repeated (daily) measurements on 3 normal subjects, each studied for 120 days. Findings are presented for serum cholesterol, urinary creatinine, urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteriods, salivary potassium, and serum copper. These are representative of a larger series of biochemical (as well as physiological and psychological) variables measured in these groups. In each case, the shape and range of the distribution is about the same for each individual as it is for a group. The implications of this for interpretation of individual clinical laboratory tests reports are discussed.