title: Investigation of red cell size distribution histograms of normal male and female subjects.
abstract: Size distribution histograms characterizing the red blood cell (RBC) populations of normal subjects are provided. Separate haemocytometric reference ranges were established for apparently healthy male and female adults by using an Ortho ELT 800 Hematology Analyzer, which is based on the principle of measuring light scattering intensity (LSI). Effects of sphering RBCs on some characteristics of size distribution histograms were also investigated. The absolute distribution width at half peak height (ADW0.5) of RBC size distribution histograms of sphered RBCs is shown to be approximately 40% lower than for unsphered RBCs. The mean RBC size distribution histogram determined for the group of female subjects was shown to be significantly shifted to the right in comparison with the mean size distribution histogram calculated for males, indicating a sex-related difference. The shift is concordant with a significantly higher fraction of microcytes in male subjects, as well as with lower mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values in males compared with females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Medical Centre Alkmaar, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Helleman
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Soons
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors