Reference ranges of lymphocyte subsets balanced for age and gender from a population of healthy adults in Chongqing District of China

Abstract

The enumeration of lymphocyte subsets plays an essential role in the monitoring of immunological disorders. Immunophenotyping values have been found to be influenced by race, age, gender, and environmental conditions. Therefore, it is important to establish reference ranges for healthy adults from the local population for clinical decision-making. The current study aimed to establish a normal reference range for peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in healthy adults from the Chongqing District of China by using single-platform flow cytometry. Age- and gender-specific reference ranges were established in 268 healthy adult males and females between 21 and 60 years of age. The CD8+ cell counts decreased with age, CD4+ cell percentages and counts increased with age, and total T cell percentages were higher in the female population. Our results are similar to those reported from other parts of China but different from some results reported from other countries; this further stresses the need to establish local reference ranges by region. Our results will help in the management of patients with human immunodeficiency virus and other immunological disorders in Chongqing District. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Keywords: flow cytometry; lymphocyte subset; reference ranges.