title: Age-related changes in laboratory values used in the diagnosis of anemia and iron deficiency.
abstract: Laboratory results from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) were used to define age-related changes in laboratory values that are related to the diagnosis of anemia and iron deficiency. Analyses included Hb, hematocrit, red blood cell count, red cell indices, iron, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, and erythrocyte protoporphyrin. Computation of median values and 95% ranges by age and sex for each laboratory test were performed on 15,093 subjects between 1 and 74 yr of age who had complete laboratory data on venous blood, after excluding those subjects with an abnormality in one or more of three other laboratory tests. Age-related changes in laboratory measurements, such as those described herein, must be taken into consideration in order to optimize the identification of individuals with anemia and iron deficiency.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron