Table 7.
Comparison of commonly used hematologic reference values for children in Kintampo, Ghana, with those for Uganda, Tanzania, and developed countries*
| Parameters | Kintampo | Uganda15 | Tanzania14 | WHO (lower limits)24,25† |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemoglobin, g/dL | ||||
| 0.5–4 years old | 8.0–12.6 | 8.8–12.5 | 8.1–13.9 | 11.0 |
| 5–12 years old | 9.1–13.5 | 10.0–13.7 | 10.3–14.7 | 11.5 |
| 13–17 years old (M) | 10.4–14.8 | 11.2–15.9 | 10.8–17.0 | 13.0 |
| 13–17 years old (F) | 9.4–14.2 | 9.9–14.5 | 10.0–14.9 | 12.0 |
| Hematocrit, % | ||||
| 0.5–4 years old | 24.4–38.8 | 25.9–36.3 | 26.5–40.8 | 33.0 |
| 5–12 years old | 27.3–41.5 | 29.2–39.4 | 31.9–43.5 | 34.0 |
| 13–17 years old (M) | 31.1–45.1 | 32.3–45.5 | 33.0–48.1 | 39.0 |
| 13–17 years old (F) | 25.4–45.1 | 28.1–42.2 | 30.8–44.7 | 36.0 |
| MCV | ||||
| 0.5–4 years old | 56–87 | 60.7–82.8 | 54.7–91.6 | 73 |
| 5–12 years old | 68–89 | 63.3–83.9 | 66.0–90.0 | 76 |
| 13–17 years old (M) | 66–92 | 65.0–89.5 | 63.2–91.0 | 79 |
| 13–17 years old (F) | 67–94 | 67.4–89.9 | 62.2–94.5 | 78 |
| MCH | ||||
| 0.5–4 years old | 16.7–31.3 | NA | NA | 25 |
| 5–12 years old | 21.4–30.3 | NA | NA | 26 |
| 13–17 years old (M) | 21.6–31.4 | NA | NA | 27 |
| 13–17 years old(F) | 21.2–32.0 | NA | NA | 26 |
| RBC, × 1012/L | ||||
| 0.5–4 years old | 3.22–5.55 | 3.50–5.20 | NA | 3.7 |
| 5–12 years old | 3.45–5.24 | 3.80–5.40 | NA | 3.8 |
| 13–17 years old (M) | 3.79–5.69 | 4.10–5.80 | NA | 4.2 |
| 13–17 years old (F) | 3.53–5.57 | 3.50–5.40 | NA | 3.9 |
*
WHO = World Health Organization; MCV = mean cell volume; MCH = mean cell hemoglobin; NA = not available; RBC = red blood cell.
†
Age ranges for MCV, MCH, and RBC = 2–4.9 years, 8–11.9 years, and 15–17 years (M and F).