Population-Based Full Blood Count Reference Intervals in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute, USA, recommends that reference intervals of laboratory parameters should be established for each locality. This study is aimed at determining full blood count reference parameters interval of adults in Lagos State, Nigeria. Methods: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study conducted at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja in August 2022 involving all the five divisions of Lagos State. Apparently healthy three hundred and eighty-four (384) participants with ages between 18-89 years were enrolled into the study and venous blood samples were collected from them for full blood count analysis using Sysmex KN-21 N machine. Data were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Inc., Chicago, Ill version 26.0. The mean, minimum, maximum and gender-specific data were obtained, p value was set at ≤0.05. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institution before the commencement of the study. Results: After data cleaning, a total of Three Hundred and Thirty-Five (335) healthy participants’ data were analyzed showing a mean age of 49.74±75 years. There were 185 (55%) females and 150 (45%) males. Most of the red blood cell parameters were statistically lower in females than males, while the white blood cell and platelet count parameters were higher in females than males. Conclusion: The red blood cells parameters were lower in females than males while the platelet count, total white blood cells and neutrophils/lymphocytes differentials were lower in males than females.