Haematological values from a Gambian cohort - possible reference range for a West African population

• Published in: International journal of laboratory hematology Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 615 - 622
• Main Authors: ADETIFA, I. M. O., HILL, P. C., JEFFRIES, D. J., JACKSON-SILLAH, D., IBANGA, H. B., BAH, G., DONKOR, S., CORRAH, T., ADEGBOLA, R. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Africa, Western; African Continental Ancestry Group; Child; Child, Preschool; Erythrocyte Indices; erythrocytes; Female; Gambia; haematology; Hematologic Tests - methods; Humans; Infant; leucocytes; Leukocyte Count; Male; Platelet Count; platelets; Reference Values; Thinness - blood; Wasting Syndrome - blood; Gambia; Africa, Western
• ISSN: 1751-5521; 1751-553X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-553X.2008.01087.x

Summary The objective of this study was to establish haematological reference ranges for the West African subregion using a Gambian cohort. We analysed full blood counts from 1279 subjects aged ≥1 year. Anthropometric and body composition measurements were performed. Haematological mean values, medians and 90% reference values were calculated and related to malnutrition in children and thinness and/or obesity in adults. Haemoglobin (Hb) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) significantly increased with age (P < 0.00001). There were gender‐related changes in Hb from 15 years of age (P = 0.001) and for MCV only in adults (P = 0.0002). Hb was significantly reduced in underweight and stunted children (P = 0.0001 and 0.0002, respectively) but was unaffected by thinness or obesity in adults. White blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts were highest under 5 years and declined significantly with age (P < 0.0001 and 0.0001). While, there were no gender‐related differences with WBC, there were higher WBC counts in underweight (P = 0.0001) and stunted (P < 0.0001) children. Adult females had significantly higher mean platelet counts compared with males (P = 0.006). The mean and median values of haematological parameters in The Gambia are similar to other standards but the 90% reference range for each parameter encompasses lower values when compared with Western standards.