[The concept of reference change values (RCV). Will it supersede reference intervals?].

Reference values are generally used to allow a decision on whether a laboratory value is in the normal range or if it mirrors a pathological process. This decision is especially difficult to take, when the pathological process is just starting and the values are relatively close to the normal range. Particularly in this phase, the decision is extremely important. Harris and later on Fraser have realized that there are two variables that contribute to the credibility and significance of a measured analyte. 1. The imprecision of the measurement itself. These values have become relatively low in recent years: they amount to values between 1 and 5 %. 2. The within person biological variability, which can be 100 % or more. Both variables combined yield the "reference change value" (RCV) to define the minimal significant difference between two measurements at different time points. When using this concept, differences between two measurements can be detected before the normal range is exceeded. For any given patient the reference values of a population is actually not of primary concern. It is important to know that his personal data exceed his personal normal range, which is dependent on RCV. For many analytes in clinical chemistry and hematology the use of RCV rather than the normal range as reference improves the decision making process in a clinical setting.