Objective:

To assess the degree of hemoglobin correlation as a possible predictor of hematocrit and red blood cell count according to age and sex in a population of the district of Villa El Salvador, Lima, Peru.

Materials and methods:

An observational, analytical, correlational and prospective study carried out with 550 males and 700 females of all ages who attended monthly preventive-promotional health campaigns, as well as routine medical consultations, from January 2021 to June 2022. Non-probability convenience sampling was used. The variables were sex, age group, hematocrit and red blood cell count. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used because the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test showed a non-normal distribution. A p value below 0.05 with a 95 % confidence interval was considered significant.

Results:

There was a higher prevalence of anemia in the group of females older than 11 years (35.10 %), while hemoglobin levels in most children younger than 11 years were mainly normal. High and positive correlations between hemoglobin and hematocrit close to one were found in all age groups and both sexes. In addition, moderate and positive correlations were found in female toddlers and girls (Rho = 0.525), female adolescents (Rho = 624), as well as male toddlers and boys (Rho = 0.597).

Conclusions:

Hemoglobin levels are highly and positively correlated with hematocrit. Simultaneous hemoglobin and hematocrit testing may be clinically and economically unnecessary in screening and preventive-promotional campaigns on anemia conducted in large population groups. Likewise, hemoglobin correlates moderately and positively with red blood cell in children of both sexes and female adolescents. Further research is needed to deepen the reasons why correlation varies in these groups.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English | Spanish     · English ( pdf ) | Spanish ( pdf )