Reference intervals for leukocyte subsets in adults: Results from a population-based study using 10-color flow...

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Hematology
• Flow Cytometry

Background:

• Leukocyte subset reference intervals are crucial for disease state and therapy effect interpretation.
• Accurate reference ranges are essential for clinical diagnostics and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish gender- and age-specific reference intervals for leukocyte subsets in healthy German adults.
• To investigate the influence of gender and age on leukocyte counts.
• To provide comprehensive immunophenotyping data for clinical and research applications.

Main Methods:

• In-depth immunophenotyping of 608 healthy German adults (40-79 years) using 10-color flow cytometry.
• Analysis of granulocyte, monocyte, and lymphocyte subsets.
• Derivation of gender- and age-stratified reference intervals.

Main Results:

• Established gender- and age-specific reference intervals for leukocyte subsets.
• Identified significantly higher monocyte and NK cell counts in men compared to women.
• Observed higher B cell, Th cell, and regulatory T cell counts in women.
• Noted a decrease in Tc cells and an increase in NK cells with advancing age.

Conclusions:

• The study provides essential reference data for leukocyte subsets in a defined adult population.
• Further longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm age-related changes.
• Investigating the functional implications of observed cell count shifts, such as the Tc cell decrease and NK cell increase, is warranted.