Clinical laboratory diagnostics and aging. Part 3: data evaluation of an aging study - complete blood count and urinalysis

The results of the determination of hematologic values from 262 men and 242 women, participants of an aging study and half of each group 44.4 +/-0.9 a nd 63.0 +/-0.9 (men) and 44.4 +/-0.9 and 62.8 +/-0.8 years old (women), res pectively, are compared. In men, one analyte (hemoglobin down arrow) and fo ur indices show significant differences (MCV up arrow, MCH down arrow, MCHC down arrow, RDW up arrow). In the older group, the iron level and the tran sferrin saturation are also significantly lower. In women, erythrocytes and the hematocrit are significantly higher in the older group whereas the ind ices MCH and MCHC are lower and the RDW increases. At the same time, the ir on level, transferrin and the transferrin saturation decrease whereas ferri tin doubles. The sex differences of the hematologic parameters are more pro nounced in the younger participants and especially remarkable in ferritin i n both age groups. The results of the semiquantitative analysis of ten urin e parameters by reagent strip show differences with respect to sex (e.g., l eucocytes and erythrocytes) and age (e.g., specific gravity, pH, nitrite, p rotein, erythrocytes). The usefulness of the estimation of glucose in urine is discussed in connection with the corresponding serum glucose levels.