title: Influence of sex, age, pubertal maturation and body mass index on circulating white blood cell counts in healthy European adolescents—the HELENA study.
abstract: Percentiles 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th are presented for circulating white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils in healthy European adolescents (12.5-17.5 years, n = 405, 48.9% boys), considering age, sex, puberty and body mass index (BMI). CD3(+) (mature T cells), CD4(+) (T helper), CD8(+) (T cytotoxic), CD16(+)56(+) (natural killer), CD19(+) (B cells), CD3(+)CD45RA(+), CD4(+)CD45RA(+), CD8(+)CD45RA(+) (naïve), CD3(+)CD45RO(+), CD4(+)CD45RO(+) and CD8(+)CD45RO(+) (memory) lymphocytes were also analysed by immunophenotyping. Girls presented higher WBC, neutrophil, CD3(+)CD45RO(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) cell counts and CD3(+)/CD19(+) ratio, and lower CD3(+)CD45RA(+) and CD4(+)CD45RA(+) counts than boys. Age was associated with higher neutrophil counts and CD3(+)/CD19(+), and lower CD19(+) counts; in boys, with lower CD3(+)CD45RA(+), CD4(+)CD45RA(+) and CD8(+)CD45RA(+) counts as well; in girls, with higher WBC, CD3(+)CD45RO(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) counts. Pubertal maturation in boys was associated with lower WBC and lymphocyte counts; in girls, with higher basophil, CD3(+)CD45RO(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) values. BMI was associated with higher WBC counts; in boys, also with higher lymphocyte counts; in girls, with higher neutrophil, CD4(+), CD3(+)CD45RO(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) counts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides normative values for circulating immune cells in adolescents, highlighting the importance of considering sex, age, pubertal maturation and BMI when establishing reference ranges for WBC in paediatric populations.
authors: School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK, F.PerezDeHerediaBenedicte@ljmu.ac.uk.
authors: Fátima
authors: F
authors: Pérez-de-Heredia
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Gómez-Martínez
authors: Ligia-Esperanza
authors: LE
authors: Díaz
authors: Ana M
authors: AM
authors: Veses
authors: Esther
authors: E
authors: Nova
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Wärnberg
authors: Inge
authors: I
authors: Huybrechts
authors: Krishna
authors: K
authors: Vyncke
authors: Odysseas
authors: O
authors: Androutsos
authors: Marika
authors: M
authors: Ferrari
authors: Gonzalo
authors: G
authors: Palacios
authors: Acki
authors: A
authors: Wastlund
authors: Éva
authors: É
authors: Kovács
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Gottrand
authors: Marcela
authors: M
authors: González-Gross
authors: Manuel J
authors: MJ
authors: Castillo
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Sjöstrom
authors: Yannis
authors: Y
authors: Manios
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Kafatos
authors: Denes
authors: D
authors: Molnár
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Widhalm
authors: Luis A
authors: LA
authors: Moreno
authors: Ascensión
authors: A
authors: Marcos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001491:Basophils / Q000145:classification; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000145:classification; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000145:classification; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology