Basic Interpretation of CBC Blood Tests
The complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most common blood tests ordered by a doctor. A CBC is usually performed as part of a routine medical checkup or an annual medical examination. CBC blood tests examine the three major blood cells: white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC) or erythrocytes, and platelets. These tests could also examine the hemoglobin and hematocrit.
Here is a simple explanation of a CBC result. The normal value of WBC is between 4,300 and 10,800 cells per cubic millimeter (cmm). If your WBC value is abnormally high, you may have infection, leukemia, cancer and other diseases. WBC may be decreased if you are taking some drugs or if you have some autoimmune diseases and bone marrow failure. The five types of WBC are neutrophils, basophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils. You could have higher neutrophils if you have infection, while there maybe too much eosinophils in your blood if you have an allergy.
The normal RBC level in the blood is between 4.2 million cells/cmm to 5.9 million cells/cmm. Your RBC level may be decreased if you have anemia, while it is abnormally increased if you have significant fluid loss due to dehydration, diarrhea or burns. Meanwhile, the average platelet level is between 150,000 to 400,000 cells per cmm. These types of cells play important role in blood clotting. If your platelet level is too low, you could have problems in stopping bleeding. Platelets are decreased in some conditions including systemic lupus erythematosus, leukemia and pernicious anemia. If you are undergoing chemotherapy, the platelet level also decreases.
The normal range of hemoglobin is between 13 to 18 grams per deciliter in men, while the normal value ranges from 12 to 16 grams per deciliter in women. Low hemoglobin level could indicate blood loss and anemia. Meanwhile, the normal value for hematocrit is about 37% to 48% in women and 45% to 52% in men. Low hematocrit level could be a sign of anemia, bone marrow failure, blood loss and leukemia. Both hemoglobin and hematocrit mirrors the results of RBC.