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Haematological reference values in Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study
Javier Romeo1, Julia Wärnberg, Sonia Gómez-Martínez
1Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain. jromeo@if.csic.es
European Journal of Haematology
|August 8, 2009
Summary
This study establishes reference values for blood counts in Spanish adolescents. Findings reveal age and gender-related differences in red blood cell and platelet counts, crucial for assessing adolescent health.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pediatric Health
- Adolescent Medicine
Background:
- Establishing normative data for hematological indices is essential for accurate clinical interpretation in pediatric populations.
- Adolescence is a period of significant physiological change, potentially influencing blood parameters.
- Previous reference ranges may not accurately reflect current demographics or health statuses in specific populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish age- and gender-specific reference values for a comprehensive panel of hematological indices in Spanish adolescents.
- To provide a data set that can aid in the clinical assessment and monitoring of adolescent health in Spain.
- To identify potential variations in hematological parameters related to growth and development during adolescence.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 581 Spanish adolescents aged 13 to 17-18.5 years.
- Collection of blood samples for analysis of various red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), and platelet (PLT) parameters.
- Statistical determination of age- and gender-specific means, standard deviations, and percentiles for all measured hematological indices.
Main Results:
- Younger males showed lower mean RBC, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and MCV compared to older males; this trend was not observed in females.
- Significantly higher mean RBC, Hb, and Hct values were found in males compared to females across all age groups.
- White blood cell (WBC) counts did not show significant differences based on age or gender, while platelet (PLT) counts generally decreased with age, with an exception in older females.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully generated reference data for hematological indices in Spanish adolescents.
- These reference values are valuable for identifying deviations from normal ranges and can serve as biomarkers for nutritional status.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering age and gender when interpreting hematological parameters in adolescents.
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