Effect of blood donation on the establishment of normal ranges of lymphocyte subsets

Absolute counts of CD4+ T-lymphocytes are used in the management of patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Low absolute counts of CD3+CD4+ cells have also been observed in healthy people--a phenomenon called idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia. It is common practice for normal ranges for lymphocyte subsets to be derived from samples taken from blood donors.

A sample of EDTA blood was taken through the donation line tubing, after donation from 565 blood donors in Sydney, Australia, who were selected from a range of age groups. An additional 12 donors provided a predonation sample as well as a postdonation sample. Hematologic assays were performed on two analyzers. Samples were stained for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, and CD56 and analyzed on a flow cytometer.

Three donors were found to have absolute CD3+CD4+ counts < 300 cells per microL. The percentage of CD3+CD4+ cells was found to increase with age. Both the percentage and the absolute count of CD3+CD8+ cells decreased with age, which resulted in an increased CD4:CD8 ratio with age. Men had consistently higher absolute counts of CD3-CD56+ cells than women. The 12 additional donors all had greater percentages of CD3+CD4+ cells and lower absolute counts for CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, CD19+ and CD3-CD56+ cells after donation than they had before donation (p < 0.001).

It is not satisfactory to base normal ranges for lymphocyte subsets on donor blood, from which the blood sample has been obtained after donation.