Usually, routine blood tests are also included in health check-ups, which shows its importance. When a person is sick, the number of various cellular components in the blood will change. Routine blood tests are simple, fast and easy to perform, and can help doctors quickly understand the basic changes in the patient’s blood and provide useful clues for further judgment of the disease. However, for the average person, the abbreviated letters and numbers on the test sheets are like a book in the sky and difficult to read. The following is a brief introduction to the main items and significance of the routine blood test, so that when you face it again, you can understand it at a glance and have a good idea.
Routine blood tests include many items, but there are mainly 3 items, such as hemoglobin measurement, white blood cell count and classification, and platelet count. To see the routine blood test, focus on the following aspects.
I. Hemoglobin (Hb).
Hemoglobin is a protein involved in oxygen transport in red blood cells, and iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 are important raw materials for its synthesis. Normal male is (120-160) g/L, female is (110-150) g/L.
Hemoglobin below normal levels is called anemia and can be caused by a variety of diseases.
①Iron deficiency anemia caused by insufficient hematopoietic material, malnutrition anemia.
②Bone marrow hematopoietic failure such as aplastic anemia.
(③) Excessive red blood cell loss due to various acute and chronic blood loss, such as blood loss from severe trauma, bleeding from ulcer disease, excessive menstruation, bleeding from hemorrhoids or anal fissures.
④All kinds of hemolytic anemia caused by excessive destruction of red blood cells.
⑤ Malignant tumor cells invade the bone marrow, such as various leukemias, myeloma, bone marrow metastatic cancer, etc.
Increased hemoglobin is commonly found in: true erythrocytosis, severe dehydration such as vomiting and diarrhea, severe burns, heavy and long-term smoking, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary heart disease, congenital heart disease, certain kidney diseases, residents of high mountain areas, etc.
If abnormal hemoglobin results are found, attention should be paid to check whether they are accompanied by abnormal white blood cell count, platelet and reticulocyte counts, and if necessary, bone marrow aspiration should be performed, as these data are very important to further clarify the cause of anemia. At the same time, you should follow the instructions of your hematologist and not take any medication on your own to avoid delaying the diagnosis and treatment.
2. White blood cell count (WBC) and classification
The white blood cells in the blood are commonly called “white blood cells”, including neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes and monocytes. The white blood cell count is the total number of white blood cells in the blood, and the classification is the percentage of each type of white blood cell. Different disease conditions can cause changes in the number of different types of white blood cells. The doctor will determine the cause of the disease based on the change in the number and percentage of white blood cells. The total number of normal adult WBC is (4.0 to 10) × 109/L; classification percentages: neutrophils (Gran) 50% to 70%, lymphocytes (Lym) 20% to 40%, monocytes (Mono) 3% to 8%, eosinophils 0.5% to 05%, basophils 0 to 1%.
Leukopenia is commonly associated with.
① Viral infections. Such as measles, rubella, chickenpox, mumps, viral hepatitis, viral flu, etc.
② Certain bacterial and protozoal infections. Such as typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, malaria, black fever, and serious infections such as cornual tuberculosis, severe sepsis, etc.
③Hematological diseases such as aplastic anemia, leukocytosis without hyperplasia leukemia, acute granulocyte deficiency, malignant histiocytosis, etc.
④ Certain drugs and chemical reagents and radiation effects, such as sulfonamides, chloramphenicol, antitumor drugs, cosmetics, substandard decoration materials, etc.
Leukocytosis is commonly caused by.
① systemic or local infections, such as lobar pneumonia, acute tonsillitis, epidemic encephalomyelitis, dengue, acute appendicitis, diphtheria, etc.
②Significant leukocyte elevation should alert the possibility of leukemia.
③Some tumors can cause leukocyte elevation.
④Trauma or tissue necrosis, such as large burns, etc.
Lymphocytosis is commonly seen in tuberculosis, viral infections, whooping cough, acute or chronic lymphocytic leukemia, etc. In neutropenia, the lymphocyte percentage will be relatively elevated. Eosinophilia is commonly seen in allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, urticaria, exfoliative dermatitis, and intestinal parasitic diseases; certain leukemias can also be associated with elevated eosinophils.
It should be noted that the number of leukocytes in the blood is dynamic and may fluctuate transiently in some physiological situations, such as after a meal, strenuous exercise, etc. In addition, there may be instrumental measurement errors. Therefore, there is no need to be too alarmed when abnormal white blood cell count is found, but it is necessary to review it at least once and visit the hematology department as soon as possible.
Platelet count (PLT)
The normal range of PLT is (100~300)×109/L. The main function of platelets is to participate in the hemostasis and coagulation of the body. A high platelet count puts the blood in a hypercoagulable state and makes it prone to blood clots, while a low platelet count makes it prone to bleeding such as epistaxis, bleeding gums, bleeding spots or petechiae on the skin.
Elevated platelets are commonly found in blood diseases such as primary thrombocytosis, true erythrocytosis, chronic granulocytic leukemia, etc. Some infections, malignant tumors, iron deficiency anemia, post-splenectomy, and post-exercise can also have increased platelets.
Thrombocytopenia is common in: primary thrombocytopenic purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus, hypersplenism, diffuse intravascular coagulation, due to certain drugs and reduced platelet production such as aplastic anemia, acute leukemia, malignant tumor bone marrow metastasis, etc.
Routine blood test is a very common test in clinical practice, and there are many items in the report form, so when reading the report form, you cannot look at a certain item in isolation, but must analyze all the laboratory results together, and the doctor will also make further treatment according to your clinical symptoms and physical examination.