Analysis of laboratory blood parameters in patients of a cardiology department at an emergency hospital

Abstract

Introduction. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains the leading cause of mortality, and its prevalence steadily increases with population aging. Elderly patients constitute the majority of individuals in cardiology departments and emergency medical teams. However, existing reference intervals for laboratory parameters are often standardized and fail to account for age- and gender- related characteristics. Objective. To conduct a quantitative analysis of changes in blood parameters in patients with IHD depending on age and gender in order to optimize the interpretation of laboratory data at the prehospital stage. Materials and methods. The study included 3,357 patients with IHD aged 45 to 102 years (median 62 years) treated at the I. I. Dzhanelidze St. Petersburg Research Institute of Emergency Medicine between 2020 and 2025. Complete blood count, biochemical blood tests, and INR measurement were performed. Patients were divided into four age groups: middle age (45–60 years), elderly (61–75 years), senile (76–90 years), and long-livers (91+ years). Statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s post hoc test. Results. In elderly men, hemoglobin decreased by 5% and creatinine increased by 7%; in senile men, hemoglobin decreased by 21% and creatinine increased by 18% compared to middle-aged men. In women, a 10% decrease in hemoglobin and a 20% increase in creatinine were first observed in the senile age group; among long-livers, these changes reached 17% and 38%, respectively. A 14% decrease in leukocytes, an 11% increase in neutrophils, and a 29% increase in platelets in the senile age were observed only in men. An increase in INR was 16% in senile men, 15% in senile women, and 49% in female long-livers. MCH, glucose, total bilirubin, and potassium levels showed no significant age-related changes in either sex. Conclusion. Gender differences in the age-related dynamics of laboratory parameters were identified in patients with IHD. The most pronounced changes were observed in hemoglobin, creatinine, and INR levels. In men, changes involved a broader range of parameters and were detected starting from elderly age, whereas in women, significant deviations occurred in senile age and among long-livers. These findings support the need for a differentiated interpretation of laboratory results in patients with IHD, taking into account both age group and gender.