Results:
Normal values vary with altitude and gender.
What abnormal results may mean:
Low numbers of red blood cells may indicate anemia, which has many causes including:
- Blood loss
- Iron deficiency
- Deficiences of vitamin B12 or folic acid
- Bone marrow failure (for example, from radiation, toxin, fibrosis, tumor)
- Erythropoietin deficiency (secondary to kidney disease)
- Hemolysis (RBC destruction)
- Leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Over hydration
Low numbers of white blood cells (leukopenia) may indicate:
- Bone marrow failure (for example, due to granuloma (granular tumor), tumor, or fibrosis)
- Presence of cytotoxic substance
- Collagen-vascular diseases (such as lupus erythematosus)
- Disease of the liver or spleen
- Radiation exposure
High numbers of white blood cells (leukocytosis) may indicate:
- Infectious diseases
- Inflammatory disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis or allergy)
- Leukemia
- Severe emotional or physical stress
- Tissue damage (for example, burns)
A high hematocrit may indicate:
- Dehydration
- Burns
- Diarrhea
- Eclampsia
- Erythrocytosis
- Polycythemia vera
- Shock
