Gender difference among blood donors: should laboratory ranges be changed?

Abstract

Gender differences is a topic currently much discussed in medicine. Therapies and drugs, as well as laboratory investigations and clinical studies, should be studied and performed equally in male and female populations . Not having laboratory tests with different ranges for the two sexes can lead to the error of defining (or not defining) a certain clinical situation as pathological. In our study, we have evaluated the gender differences found in the analysis of different laboratory tests in a group of potential blood donors. The results obtained highlighted differences in most of the parameters considered. This could lead to a possible re-evaluation of laboratory ranges, based on gender, to be clearly indicated in clinical reports.