A multicentre study of reference intervals for haemoglobin, basic blood cell counts and erythrocyte indices in the adult population of the Nordic countries

Eight haematological quantities were measured in EDTA anticoagulated venous blood specimens collected from 1826 healthy male and female individuals between 18 and 90 years of age in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). The samples, collected between November 1999 and November 2001 as part of the Nordic Reference Interval Project (NORIP), were analysed on 12 different types of modern automated haematology instruments currently in use among the 60 laboratories participating in the study. Non-parametric reference intervals (between 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles) have been calculated for B-Haemoglobin (females 117-153 g L, males 134-170 g L), B-Erythrocytes (females 3.94-5.16×1012 L, males 4.25-5.71×1012 L), B-EVF (females 0.348-0.459, males 0.395-0.500), B-MCV (82-98 fL), Erc-MCH (27.1-33.3 pg), Erc-MCHC (317-357 g L), B-Trc (females 165-387×109 L, males 145×348×109 L) and B-Lkc (3.5-8.8×109 L). Partitioning of data according to age and gender was done according to a standardized procedure. For most variables the calculated reference intervals corresponded well with older and less well-defined reference intervals. The mean concentration of B-Haemoglobin increased by 0.08 g L per year of age in women, and decreased by 0.1 g L per year of age in men. B-Haemoglobin increased with body mass index in both men and women. Smoking increased the mean of B-Lkc by 1.1×109 L and regular use of alcohol increased the mean of B-MCV by 0.8 fL. The influence of these factors was small overall and did not promote specific reference intervals.