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[Clinical laboratory diagnosis and aging. 3: Evaluation of a study of aging--complete blood and urine status]
H Martin1, K Langenhan, M Huth
1Universität Leipzig Institut für Klinische Chemie und Pathobiochemie Liebigstr. 27 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Insights
Aging impacts hematologic values and urine parameters in men and women. Key changes include altered red blood cell indices, iron metabolism shifts, and variations in urine composition, highlighting age and sex-related differences.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Hematology
- Clinical Chemistry
- Urology
Context:
- Aging is associated with physiological changes affecting hematologic parameters.
- Understanding sex and age-specific hematologic variations is crucial for health monitoring.
- Urine analysis provides additional insights into age and sex-related health status.
Purpose:
- To compare hematologic values and urine parameters between younger and older men and women.
- To identify age- and sex-related differences in hematologic indices and iron metabolism.
- To evaluate age- and sex-related variations in urine composition.
Summary:
- Significant differences in hematologic values were observed in older men (decreased hemoglobin, increased MCV, decreased MCH/MCHC, increased RDW) and women (increased erythrocytes/hematocrit, decreased MCH/MCHC, increased RDW).
- Iron levels and transferrin saturation decreased with age in men. In women, iron and transferrin decreased, while ferritin doubled.
- Urine analysis revealed sex differences (leukocytes, erythrocytes) and age differences (specific gravity, pH, nitrite, protein, erythrocytes).
Impact:
- Provides normative data for hematologic parameters across different age groups and sexes.
- Highlights potential age- and sex-related alterations in iron status and red blood cell indices.
- Suggests the utility of routine urine analysis for detecting age- and sex-specific physiological changes.
Abstract:
The results of the determination of hematologic values from 262 men and 242 women, participants of an aging study and half of each group 44.4 +/- 0.9 and 63.0 +/- 0.9 (men) and 44.4 +/- 0.9 and 62.8 +/- 0.8 years old (women), respectively, are compared. In men, one analyte (hemoglobin decreasing) and four indices show significant differences (MCV increasing, MCH decreasing, MCHC decreasing, RDW increasing). In the older group, the iron level and the transferrin saturation are also significantly lower. In women, erythrocytes and the hematocrit are significantly higher in the older group whereas the indices MCH and MCHC are lower and the RDW increases. At the same time, the iron level, transferrin and the transferrin saturation decrease whereas ferritin doubles. The sex differences of the hematologic parameters are more pronounced in the younger participants and especially remarkable in ferritin in both age groups. The results of the semiquantitative analysis of ten urine parameters by reagent strip show differences with respect to sex (e.g., leucocytes and erythrocytes) and age (e.g., specific gravity, pH, nitrite, protein, erythrocytes). The usefulness of the estimation of glucose in urine is discussed in connection with the corresponding serum glucose levels.
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