Erythrocyte system in elderly: ageing aspects

The purpose of the study was an assessment of erythrocyte system age-dependent characteristics in elderly population dwelling in the same territory during the time period equal to the average life span in the region. Material and Methods. We perform the compare of hematological parameters of 800 patients with hypertension and coronary heart disease hospitalized during 25-years period. Results. In senile patients, red blood cells and hemoglobin levels signifi- cantly decrease, but platelet characteristics remain intact. Revealed differenced are similar during all 25-year period of observation. Conclusion. Over the past 25 years, the trend of age-related decline in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin has been preserved. The average hemoglobin content in erythrocyte (MCH) during the aging process tends to decrease, which has become statistically significant in recent years. The principal difference of the obtained data from the results of obtained 25 years ago is the absence of an age-related increase in the volume of erythrocytes and a higher level of the average concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte.