Median cells are also called intermediate cells, the median cell count refers to the sum of monocytes, eosinophils and basophils, the normal rate is 3.5%~7.9% (the reference value of each laboratory may be different), and the absolute value is (0.1-0.9)×10^9/L. Abnormalities of intermediate cell counts can be categorized into three situations.
1. Abnormal eosinophil count: eosinophilia can be seen in allergic reactions, parasitic diseases, certain skin diseases, after major surgery or burns, etc. Decrease can be seen in typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, after the application of adrenocorticotropic hormone, etc.
2. Abnormal number of basophils: basophilia can be seen in chronic granulocytic leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, metastasis of cancer, metal poisoning, etc. If there is a sudden decrease of basophils in the course of chronic granulocytic disease, it often suggests that the disease is deteriorating.
3. Abnormal number of monocytes: increased monocytes can be seen in tuberculosis, typhoid fever, subacute infective endocarditis, etc. Decreased monocytes can be seen in sepsis, pernicious anemia.
In pathological cases, the median cells detected by blood cell analyzer may also include heterogeneous lymphocytes, leukemia naïve cells, etc., which have a suggestive role in the diagnosis of diseases.
If the median cell count is abnormal, further examination should be conducted under the guidance of physicians to find the cause of the disease and actively cooperate with the treatment.