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How To Interpret Blood Test Results?
On a routine blood test my husbands results are as follows:
06/10/2011
WBC 3.3 L 4.5-1 K/UL
RBC 4.46 L 4.5-5.5 M/UL
HGB 14.7 13.0-17 GM/DL
HCT 43.2 40-50 %
MCV 96.9 83-101 FL
MCH 33 27-34 PG
MCHC 34.1 31.5-36 %
RDW 12 11.5-14.5%
PLATELET228 150-400 K/UL
% NEUT 30 L 40-75 K/UL
% LYMPH 59 H 20-40 K/UL
% MONO 6 2-15.0 K/UL
% EOSIN 3 0-6 K/UL
% BASO 1 0-2 K/UL
# NEUT 1.0 L 1.8-7.7 K/UL
# LYMPH 1.9 1-4.8 K/UL
# EOSIN 0.1 .2-1 K/UL
# BASO 0.1 .0-.5 K/UL
# MONO 0.2 .2-1.0 K/UL
He the had repeat and results were:
06/24/2011
wbc 3.0 L
rbc 4.36 L
HGB 14.4
HCT 43.8
MCV 100.4
MCH 32.9
MCHC 32.8
RDW 12.2
Platlet 209
Rel. neutrophis 31 L
Rel. lymphocytes 51 H
Rel. Monocytes 10
Rel. Eosinophils 4
Abs. Neut. 1.1 L
Abs. lymph. 1.5
Abs. Eosin. 0.1
Abs. Mono. 0.3
(units and ref. range same as 1st test)
He was then sent to oncologist: symptoms were unexplained bruising, back pain, hip and leg pain, vision changes, headaches, fullness, trembling, tingling, numbness, fatigue, chills, night sweats. Symptoms will come and go. Dr. recommended repeat blood counts. They are as follows:
08/30/11
wbc 3.2 L 4.5-11.00 k/cmm
rbc 4.40 3.80-4.80 m/cmm
hgb 14.8 12-15 g/dl
hct 43.3 36-46 %
mcv 98.3 83-101 fl
mch 33.6 27-34 pg
mchc34.2 31.5-36 %
plat 183 150-400 k/cmm
% neut 40.6 40-75%
% lympho 41.6 H 20-40%
% mono 14.1 2-15%
% eosin 3.2 0-6%
% baso .5 0-2%
# neut 1.3 L 1.8-7.7 k/cmm
# lympho 1.3 1-4.8 k/cmm
# mono .5 0-.8 k/cmm
#eosin .1 0-.5 k/cmm
# baso .0 .0-.2 k/cmm
09/30/11
wbc 3.3 L
rbc 4.49
hgb 15.0
hct 43.7
mcv 97.2
mch 33.3
mchc34.2
plat 242
% neut 30.2 L
% lympho 50.9 H
% mono 15.5 H
% eosin 2.7
% baso .7
# neut 1.0 L
# lympho 1.7
# mono .5
#eosin .1
# baso .0
He had another test on 10/30/11, I don't have the results but wbc was 3.2 and #neut 1.0 the reference and units were same as the above 2 tests. We are currently on watch and wait with no real answers. He frequently gets skin infections such as cellulitis and just had shingles. Do you have any thoughts what could be going on? Should we seek out another oncologist? Dr. doesn't believe symptoms related to his blood work besides the skin infections. He did have an u/s on spleen which nurse over phone said nothing out of ordinary.
06/10/2011
WBC 3.3 L 4.5-1 K/UL
RBC 4.46 L 4.5-5.5 M/UL
HGB 14.7 13.0-17 GM/DL
HCT 43.2 40-50 %
MCV 96.9 83-101 FL
MCH 33 27-34 PG
MCHC 34.1 31.5-36 %
RDW 12 11.5-14.5%
PLATELET228 150-400 K/UL
% NEUT 30 L 40-75 K/UL
% LYMPH 59 H 20-40 K/UL
% MONO 6 2-15.0 K/UL
% EOSIN 3 0-6 K/UL
% BASO 1 0-2 K/UL
# NEUT 1.0 L 1.8-7.7 K/UL
# LYMPH 1.9 1-4.8 K/UL
# EOSIN 0.1 .2-1 K/UL
# BASO 0.1 .0-.5 K/UL
# MONO 0.2 .2-1.0 K/UL
He the had repeat and results were:
06/24/2011
wbc 3.0 L
rbc 4.36 L
HGB 14.4
HCT 43.8
MCV 100.4
MCH 32.9
MCHC 32.8
RDW 12.2
Platlet 209
Rel. neutrophis 31 L
Rel. lymphocytes 51 H
Rel. Monocytes 10
Rel. Eosinophils 4
Abs. Neut. 1.1 L
Abs. lymph. 1.5
Abs. Eosin. 0.1
Abs. Mono. 0.3
(units and ref. range same as 1st test)
He was then sent to oncologist: symptoms were unexplained bruising, back pain, hip and leg pain, vision changes, headaches, fullness, trembling, tingling, numbness, fatigue, chills, night sweats. Symptoms will come and go. Dr. recommended repeat blood counts. They are as follows:
08/30/11
wbc 3.2 L 4.5-11.00 k/cmm
rbc 4.40 3.80-4.80 m/cmm
hgb 14.8 12-15 g/dl
hct 43.3 36-46 %
mcv 98.3 83-101 fl
mch 33.6 27-34 pg
mchc34.2 31.5-36 %
plat 183 150-400 k/cmm
% neut 40.6 40-75%
% lympho 41.6 H 20-40%
% mono 14.1 2-15%
% eosin 3.2 0-6%
% baso .5 0-2%
# neut 1.3 L 1.8-7.7 k/cmm
# lympho 1.3 1-4.8 k/cmm
# mono .5 0-.8 k/cmm
#eosin .1 0-.5 k/cmm
# baso .0 .0-.2 k/cmm
09/30/11
wbc 3.3 L
rbc 4.49
hgb 15.0
hct 43.7
mcv 97.2
mch 33.3
mchc34.2
plat 242
% neut 30.2 L
% lympho 50.9 H
% mono 15.5 H
% eosin 2.7
% baso .7
# neut 1.0 L
# lympho 1.7
# mono .5
#eosin .1
# baso .0
He had another test on 10/30/11, I don't have the results but wbc was 3.2 and #neut 1.0 the reference and units were same as the above 2 tests. We are currently on watch and wait with no real answers. He frequently gets skin infections such as cellulitis and just had shingles. Do you have any thoughts what could be going on? Should we seek out another oncologist? Dr. doesn't believe symptoms related to his blood work besides the skin infections. He did have an u/s on spleen which nurse over phone said nothing out of ordinary.
Thu, 4 Sep 2014
Hello,
More information is needed for a better answer. I'll give you my best with the presented information.
Your husband has mild neutropenia. His neutrophil count is not so low to justify the infections you mentioned unless his white blood cells are not functioning as supposed.
Important information would be whether he has enlarged lymph nodes or not, body weight changes, the exact site of tingling and numbness, if he still has symptoms or not, the presence of fever etc (I'll mention more in my answer)
Drugs is one of the most common causes of white blood cell count disorders.
Infections could also cause such disorders lasting for several weeks or even months - mostly viral but also tuberculosis and rickettsial infections.
Other possible causes which need evaluation are autoimmune conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus etc. There are diagnostic criteria for them (clinical and laboratory). The presence of antibodies in the blood is a significant part of the investigation for these conditions.
His easy bruising problem should be better addressed with INR (international normalized ratio) and aPTT (activated partial prothrombin time) tests. These tests cover the most common causes of hemostasis problems.
As I already mentioned the provided information is not sufficient for a complete answer. For example, if your doctor has pointed out a likely cause (a drug, an infection) then his "wait and watch" approach seems rational to me.
Feel free to ask again, should you need further clarification, but please provide some of the clues I mentioned.
I hope he gets better!
Kind Regards!
More information is needed for a better answer. I'll give you my best with the presented information.
Your husband has mild neutropenia. His neutrophil count is not so low to justify the infections you mentioned unless his white blood cells are not functioning as supposed.
Important information would be whether he has enlarged lymph nodes or not, body weight changes, the exact site of tingling and numbness, if he still has symptoms or not, the presence of fever etc (I'll mention more in my answer)
Drugs is one of the most common causes of white blood cell count disorders.
Infections could also cause such disorders lasting for several weeks or even months - mostly viral but also tuberculosis and rickettsial infections.
Other possible causes which need evaluation are autoimmune conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus etc. There are diagnostic criteria for them (clinical and laboratory). The presence of antibodies in the blood is a significant part of the investigation for these conditions.
His easy bruising problem should be better addressed with INR (international normalized ratio) and aPTT (activated partial prothrombin time) tests. These tests cover the most common causes of hemostasis problems.
As I already mentioned the provided information is not sufficient for a complete answer. For example, if your doctor has pointed out a likely cause (a drug, an infection) then his "wait and watch" approach seems rational to me.
Feel free to ask again, should you need further clarification, but please provide some of the clues I mentioned.
I hope he gets better!
Kind Regards!
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