Valores normales del hemograma y otras variables hematológicas en sujetos mayores de 60 años / Standard values of blood cell count and other hematological counts in people older than 60 years old

We studied 36 men and 94 women aged 60 to 85 years, without nutritional deficiences or illness that could interfere with hematopiesis, to characterize the normal limits of red and white blood cell counts. Lower limit of hemoglobin normal values were 132 g/l for men and 125 g/l for women. The corresponding figures for MCV were 85 fl and 83 fl for men and women respectively. Lower and upper normal limits for leukocyte count in both sexes were 3.66 and 9.36 x 10 9/l. Hypersegmented neutrophils existed in 7 percent of men and 14 percent of women in spite that folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were excluded. We concluded that blood cell counts of elderly people have mild deviations of normal values for young adults. Aged humans have a low white cell and bands counts, and elderly women have a higher hemoglobin concentration