Ferritin and haematological values in healthy elderly Nigerians.

Two-hundred Nigerians (65 years and above) were studied and compared with control (18-50 years). Haematocrit, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, platelets and ferritin were analyzed. Mean ferritin levels were 105 ± 30 μg/L and 72 ± 10 μg/L (males and females respectively). Mean MCV, MCH and MCHC were 94.6 ± 9.0 fl, 93.6 ± 9.0 fl, 31.5 ± 3.0 pg, 31.4 ± 4.4 pg, 348 ± 30 g/L, and 347 ± 42 g/L. Mean haematocrits were 37 ± 4%, 36 ± 4%, while mean haemoglobins levels were 132 ± 24 g/L and 129 ± 1 g/L. RBC counts were 4.1 ± 0.8 x 1012/L, and 4.0 ± 0.5 x 1012/L. Mean total WBC counts were 6.4 ± 1.5 x 109/L and 6.3 ± 0.7 x 109/L; mean platelets were 170 ± 60 x 109/L, 184 ± 5 x 109/L. All haematological parameters were similar in both aged males and females, except ferritin, haematocrit, RBC and haemoglobin, which were significantly higher in males (p< 0.05). Significant sex differences exist in all the parameters, of control except MCV and total WBC count. There were significant differences in all the haematological parameters between the controls and the aged (p< 0.05), and between the aged (65-84 years) and the very aged (85-105 years) (p< 0.05). Reference haematological range needs to be established for the elderly Nigerians.