What Does My Blood Test Report Indicate?

Posted on Fri, 15 Jan 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 Answered on

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I'm trying to understand my blood test results. My WBC is 8.3. My Neutrophils % is 78.8 H while my Lymphocytes % 14.5 L .. Neutrophils # is 6.5 while my Lymphocytes # 1.2. I just got the results from the ER for an abdominal pain that turned out to be GERD. The doctor handed me the blood work results and said "everything looks good" but when I came home I noticed that the Neutrophils% was noted as H and the Lymphocytes as Low.. Anything to be concerned about? Finally the other abnormal one was ALT at 65 H

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
My suggestions

Detailed Answer:
Hi
I have read your message.
I think I can help you.
The first part the lymphocytes low and neutrophils high suggest a mild infection possibly viral.
Also the liver enzymes are sometimes mildly raised in GERD.
So no need to worry on either counts.
However, in view of GERD and low lymphocytes and high neutrophil count, I would suggest testing for H PYLORI as a cause of GERD.
Like your doctor I would also say nothing to worry about.
Best of luck. Dr Mittal.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (22 hours later)

Thank you for your answer Doctor. I was wondering if the levels tend to indicate more a mild bacterial or a mild viral infection. Could it be either? Which is more likely based on readings? I noticed you mentioned H Pylori, which, as you know, is bacterial.

What's more important the % imbalance or the actual #s. I ask this only because on the #s I appear to be within the normal range. Finally, is this type of imbalance in the percent considered small and common or not very common?

Thank you again.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Specific information

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your response.
First, the change could be either bacterial or viral infection.
It's difficult to say without a complete synopsis.
And yes , such changes are common.

I am unable to understand the # part of the query. Please repeat the part in plain English.
Thank you. Dr Mittal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (4 minutes later)

Sure Doctor. THis is the way the report read:

Neutrophils % is 78.8 (indicates higher than normal)
Lymphocytes % 14.5 (indicates lower than normal)

Neutrophils # is 6.5 (normal range)
Lymphocytes # 1.2 (normal range)

As you can read, the percentages seem to indicate an imbalance, but the bottom numbers show within the normal range.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It's always percentage

Detailed Answer:
No no
They are all percentages.
If its typed #in report it's a typing error.
Its called DLC. and DLC is always reported in percentage.
So that correlation is incorrect.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar