Effect of Aging on Platelets in the Individuals of 30 to 60 Years Age Group – A Cross Sectional Study

BACKGROUND In this study, we wanted to evaluate to find the significant changes in count of platelets which are one of the blood components with advancing age both in males and females of 30 - 60 years’ age group, to study and analyze the count of platelets in three different age groups of males, to study and analyze the count of platelets in three different age groups of females, to compare the count of platelets in between males and females in different age groups. METHODS This was a hospital based analytical observational cross-sectional study conducted among patients in the 30-60 years’ age group in the Department of Physiology in collaboration with Department of Pathology and Department of General Medicine at Government Medical College, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India, after obtaining clearance from institutional ethics committee and written informed consent from the study participants. RESULTS Platelet count decreased with increase in age in males from 31-40 years’ age group to 41-50 years’ age group, and count slightly increased with increase in age from 41-50 years’ age group to 51-60 years’ age group in males. But in female’s platelet count increased with increase in age. CONCLUSIONS The present study was done in limited specific age groups that is in between 30-60 years. Further large studies should be done in large population different age groups to know the cause of age specific variations in platelets.