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Reference intervals for red cell variables and platelet counts in infants at 2, 5 and 13 months of age: a cohort
R F Hinchliffe1, G J Bellamy, F Bell
1Department of Paediatric Haematology, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, , Sheffield, UK.
Insights
This study establishes infant red blood cell and platelet reference values up to 13 months, highlighting significant age-related changes and gender differences in key blood parameters.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Clinical Biochemistry
Background:
- Accurate reference ranges for blood parameters in infants are crucial for diagnosing and managing various health conditions.
- Existing data may not precisely reflect changes occurring during the critical first year of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish precise reference values for red blood cell variables and platelet counts in infants during the first 13 months of life.
- To identify age-specific changes and potential gender-based variations in these hematological parameters.
Main Methods:
- Blood counts, reticulocyte counts, and zinc protoporphyrin concentrations were analyzed.
- Data were collected from healthy term infants of North European ancestry at 2, 5, and 13 months of age.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related differences were observed in most red blood cell variables and platelet counts between 2, 5, and 13 months.
- Mean cell volume (MCV) and mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) showed less variation between 5 and 13 months.
- Gender-specific differences were noted, with girls exhibiting higher reticulocyte counts and MCV/MCH at 5 months, and boys showing higher red cell distribution width and zinc protoporphyrin levels.
Conclusions:
- The study underscores the importance of age-specific reference data for infant hematology.
- Findings confirm and expand upon previous reports of gender differences in laboratory measures assessing iron status in early infancy.
Aims:
To derive reference values for red cell variables and platelet counts from a cohort of infants sampled at precise ages during the first 13 months of life.
Methods:
Blood counts, reticulocyte counts and zinc protoporphyrin concentrations were obtained from healthy term infants of North European ancestry at 2, 5 and 13 months of age.
Results:
Mean cell volume (MCV) and mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) values did not differ significantly between 5 and 13 months and MCH concentration was unaffected by age. Values of all other variables at any one age differed significantly from those at the other two. Haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin, zinc protoporphyrin and platelet values (95% ranges) at 2 (n=119), 5 (n=97) and 13 months (n=42) were, respectively, 91-125, 101-129 and 105-133 g/L; 28.6-33.1, 24.5-28.7 and 24.3-28.7 pg; 36-116, 25-91 and 27-57 micromol/mol haem; and 216-658, 241-591 and 209-455×10(9)/L. At 2 and 5 months, respectively, 26.9% and 10.8% of subjects had platelet counts >500×10(9)/L. Reticulocyte counts at 2 months and MCV and MCH values at 5 months were significantly higher in girls. In boys, red cell distribution width values were significantly higher at 5 months, and zinc protoporphyrin values at both 2 and 5 months.
Conclusions:
These findings indicate the value of obtaining reference data at precise ages during infancy and confirm and extend earlier reports indicating a gender difference in laboratory measures used to assess iron status in early infancy.
