Next-generation pediatric reference intervals: a data-driven approach to improve clinical decision-making based on laboratory test results

Wednesday, March 25 at 15:00 GMT / 16:00 CET / 11:00 EDT / 08:00 PDT

Accurate interpretation of pediatric test results continues to represent a recognized gap in laboratory medicine. High resolution, age-dependent reference intervals are essential for differentiating normal developmental variation from true pathology, yet conventional population-based approaches remain constrained by feasibility and ethical limitations. Novel indirect methods and large-scale, real-world datasets now offer viable pathways to improve accuracy, reduce bias, and increase applicability across diverse pediatric populations.

This SelectScience^® webinar, presented by pediatric hemato-oncologist PD Dr. med. Jakob Zierk, equips participants with the competencies required to evaluate these methods and integrate data-driven pediatric intervals into clinical practice.

The webinar will cover the following topic areas:

• Challenges associated with pediatric reference interval development.
• Why conventional approaches to reference interval establishment are insufficient for pediatrics.
• Overview of indirect data-driven methodologies.
• Comparison of available indirect methods and published evidence.
• Use of large federated datasets and decentralized analysis.
• Application examples and first results.
• Outlook on pediatric reference intervals for coagulation assays and future analytes.

Key learning objectives:

• Describe the key physiological developmental processes that produce age- and sex-specific variation in pediatric biochemical analytes, and identify at least two such developmental factors.
• Differentiate between conventional and indirect methodologies for establishing pediatric reference intervals and explain how indirect data driven approaches more accurately support clinical interpretation of pediatric laboratory results.
• Evaluate the ethical and operational constraints associated with collecting pediatric reference samples and propose at least one evidence-based, data-driven strategy to mitigate these limitations within clinical laboratory practice.

Who should attend?

Lab directors, pediatricians, hemostaseologists, and hematologists.

Accreditation statement

SelectScience^® is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.^® Program.

Webinar details

• Cost: Free to attend
• Location: Online
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Instruction level: Intermediate

Registration is required to secure your place. If you register but can’t attend live, you will receive a link to the on‑demand recording once it becomes available.