Understanding blood test reports. How to read blood test report?

In this post, I will describe how to understand blood test reports. I mean, how to read blood test reports?

Abbreviations for the metric system of measurement are commonly used to express test results in a blood test report.
Abbreviations for abbreviations published in the metric system:
cmm: cells per cubic millimeter.
fL: (femtolitre): fraction of one millionth of a liter.
g/dL: grams per deciliter.
IU/L: international units per liter.
mEq/L: milliequivalent per liter.
mg/dL: milligrams per deciliter.
mL: milliliter.
mmoL/L: nanograms per milliliter.
pg: (picograms) one trillionth of a gram.

A blood test report is made up of three main tests.
1) Complete blood count (CBC)
2) Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
3) Lipid panel (LP)

blood test report

CBC: This test measures the amount of three types of blood cells in the blood: RBC, WB, and platelets. The overall health of the patient can be understood by looking at this report. Apart from this, we can get an idea of whether the patient has symptoms of leukemia, anaemia, etc. The subjects of the CBC report are:

RBC count: Red blood cells supply oxygen to all organs of the body and carry carbon dioxide from these organs to the lungs. Its normal value is 4.5 to 5 million/cu mm. If its quantity decreases, it is called anemia. If it is less than 7 million/cu mm, it is called polycythemia, and if it is more than 14 million/cu mm, it can be cancer, especially bone marrow cancer.

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): Its normal range is 78 to 90 FL. If this value is higher, it should be understood as vitamin deficiency anemia. And if it is less, it should be understood as iron deficiency anaemia.

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH): The amount of haemoglobin in a cell of RBC. Its normal range is 27 to 32 pg. Anything below this level indicates deficiency anaemia.

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC): That is, how much concentration in a cell of hemoglobin. Its normal range is 30 to 38 percent. If it is less, it is iron deficiency anaemia.

Hemoglobin: Its normal level in the blood is 12 to 16 gm/dL. If HB decreases in blood, it means anaemia.
All the reasons behind low HB detected in blood are:

Anaemia occurs due to three reasons in obesity:
1) Due to production. (malnutrition deficiency anaemia).
2) Due to other diseases (thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, etc).
3) Anaemia due to blood loss.

Iron-deficiency anaemia is very common in our country. However, if iron deficiency anaemia is not confirmed, additional iron supplementation may cause iron overload.
When the HB level falls below 10, it is called anaemia. If it falls below 7.00, it is called very severe anemia. Then you have to think about blood transfusions. If not, try to find the cause of the disease without a blood transfusion. You have to try to solve it in some other way.

1) Production problem: iron, protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, folic acid, etc. act as raw materials for hemoglobin in blood RBC. Deficiency of these elements in the body, especially iron deficiency, can cause anaemia.

2) Due to other diseases: Any problem from where blood is produced, i.e., bone marrow, such as aplastic anaemia, can also cause anaemia due to some other diseases such as chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia, etc.

3) Through blood loss: accidental acute hemorrhage, excessive menstrual bleeding, long-term bleeding from piles or haemorrhoids, peptic ulcer
Worm or any other cause from the body
There may be small amounts of bleeding that we may not see with the naked eye. But so little
A little bleeding can lead to anaemia.

WBC: Its normal range in blood is 4000 to 11000 cu mm. It acts like a soldier in our body, fighting against various diseases and infections. When WBC is increased in the blood, it is called a leukocyte. If its amount increases excessively, it should be understood that there is an infection in the body. And if its quantity decreases, it indicates cancer or AIDS diseases.

If WBC decreases:
1) Viral or bacterial infection (malaria, dengue, typhoid)
2) TB.
3) Leukaemia.
4) aplastic anaemia.
If the WBC in the blood increases:
1) bacterial infection (pneumonia, urinary tract infection).
2) Allergies.
3) whooping cough.
4) stress.
5) Smoking.
Normally, a woman’s blood count increases during pregnancy.
The CBC report presents the sum of the five main components of the WBC and compares them one by one. These five elements are:
1) Neutrophils: 40 to 60 percent.
2) lymphocytes: 20 to 40 percent.
3) monocytes: 2 to 8 percent.
4) eosinophils: 1 to 4 percent.
5) basophils: 0.5 to 1 percent.

Neutrophils: If it increases, it indicates bacterial infection or acute infection, and if it decreases, it indicates TB, typhoid, bone marrow failure, autoimmune disease, etc.

Lymphocytes: If it increases, it indicates thyroidism, TB, malnutrition, and mumps; if it decreases, it indicates cancer, AIDS, etc.

Eosinophils: If it increases, it indicates allergies, asthma, high blood pressure, intestinal parasites, etc.

Platelet: Among the three types of blood cells, platelets are the smallest in size. It helps in blood clotting.

Mean platelet volume (MPV): When platelets are low in the blood, bleeding does not stop easily. Because then the blood does not clot. In dengue, malaria, typhoid, viral infections, smallpox, chickenpox, etc., platelets are very low. And if the number of platelets in the blood increases too much, it increases the risk of stroke. If the blood platelets are too high, the patient should be referred to the hospital very quickly. Decreased platelets in the blood are called thrombocytopenia.

Comprehensive metabolic panel: This test presents the results of all components.
Albumin test: (3.4 to 5.4 gd/L)
Albumin is a type of protein that is produced by the liver. If it decreases from normal, it indicates liver disease, kidney disease, malnutrition, thyroid disease, etc. If it increases, it indicates dehydration or severe diarrhoea.

Bilirubin test: (0.1 to 1.2 mg/dL)
Bile contains brownish-yellow bilirubin. It usually passes out with the stool. Due to this, the color of the toilet looks yellow. Jaundice occurs when bilirubin in the blood increases. Eyes, faces, fingers, or everything turns yellow. Liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, or any other disease of the liver and side effects of medicine, if there is any liver defect or gallstone disease, we can know it by a blood bilirubin test.

Creatinine test: (.6 to 1.3 mg/dL)
Creatinine is very important for building muscle strength in the body. Increased blood creatinine indicates kidney dysfunction.

Total protein test: (6 to 8.3 g/dl)
The ratio of these two types of proteins, albumin and globulin, is checked. Low protein levels indicate diseases of the liver, kidney, etc, and malnutrition. A high protein level indicates infection and bone marrow disorders.

Fasting blood sugar test: (70 to 100 mg/dL)
The abnormal presence of blood sugar indicates diabetes. This test should be done after fasting for at least 6 hours. If this test is done immediately after eating, it affects the blood sugar.

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): (2.14 to 7.14) mmoL/L)
This test measures nitrogen levels in the blood. Its high presence indicates kidney disease. And if it is less, it indicates liver disease and malnutrition.

Calcium test: (8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL)
Low blood calcium levels indicate an underactive parathyroid gland. Low calcium intake and vitamin D deficiency. High levels indicate an overactive thyroid gland, excess vitamin D intake, kidney problems, etc. A total serum test and albumin test are needed to determine the correct level of calcium in the blood.

Chloride test: (96 to 106 mEql/L)
Increased levels of chloride in the blood indicate dehydration, kidney disease, and adrenal gland dysfunction.

Phosphorus test: (3.6 to 5.2 mmol/L)
High levels of phosphorus in the blood indicate diseases of the kidneys and parathyroid glands.

Potassium test:
Potassium maintains nerve and muscle function and regulates the heart.

Sodium test: (135 to 145 mEq/L)
Its abnormal levels indicate dehydration of the kidney, liver, and adrenal gland.

ALT (alanine aminotransferase): (4 to 36 u/L)
It is a type of enzyme that is produced by liver cells. Its excess indicates liver disease.

ATS (aspartate aminotransferase): (8 to 33 u/L)
It is a type of enzyme that is found in the RBC of muscle tissue in our body. It is found in the liver, kidney, heart, and pancreas. Its excessive growth indicates various types of cancer as well as kidney, liver, and heart damage.

Alkaline phosphatase test: (20 to 130 u/L)
Kalain phosphatase is an enzyme produced in liver and heart cells. Abnormal amounts of it indicate liver problems and bone problems, especially bone tumors or rickets.

CO2 (carbon dioxide): (23 to 29 mEq/L)
Its normal range is (23 to 29 mEq/L.

3) Lipid Panel (LP): Lipid Panel This test presents the results of all components:
Total cholesterol test: This test measures LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood.

Triglyceride test: The presence of fat in the blood is measured. It is possible to know the risk of heart disease and other physical problems.

Total cholesterol to HDL ratio test: The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol is considered. Its high ratio indicates heart disease.

HDL cholesterol test: HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, is very effective in reducing the risk of heart disease. This low presence in the blood increases the risk of heart problems.

LDL Cholesterol Test: This is low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol. Its growth helps in the development of heart disease and heart block.

If ESR increases in blood:
1) Infections (appendicitis).
2) inflammation.
3) Arthritis.
4) pneumonia.
5) Autoimmune disease.
6) Anaemia in pregnant women.
ESR often increases in old age.

Read More:
How to read semen analysis report?

—————————
Dr. Dipankar Mondal
DHMS(Dhaka)
16/12/2021

———————————————