Lab Questions?

[tednlou2]

I'm finding it hard to get answers to questions from my doc.  I'm wondering if any of you can help out.

What is the importance of Granulocyte %, Lymph %, and ABS Neutrophil?  My Granulocyte % is low at 27.0% with normal being 34-69.5%.  My Lymph % is high at 58.8% with normal being 20-53%.  My ABS Neutrophil is low at 1.4 with normal being 1.70-6.00. 

The other thing was my liver numbers.  Since getting labs, I've had 2 times where my liver numbers were either at the high end of normal or just above normal.  This was the case this time.  My AST was just slighty above normal at 59 with 50 being the top range.  I realize this is not a big deal.  However, I was just curious why this happens sometimes.  It seemed to start after beginning the bp med, but has also been normal on the low end, too.  Could taking my non-HIV meds right before doing bloodwork cause this to be elevated and they probably fall back to normal?  Again, I realize some have liver number sky high and this isn't a big deal--still I'm a curious person as to why our lab numbers do what they do.  I'm not worried over it.

Other than that, my HIV numbers basically were unchanged.  I did "man-up" as the tea-baggers like to say and looked at my labs.  Some of you will remember me saying I got my labs before my appt, but had been too afraid to look at them.  I looked at them.   

[tednlou2]

Anyone?  Hello?  I'm kidding.   

Seriously, the only thing I've been able to find out is these numbers "probably reflect an increase in CD8 lymphocyte elevation due to HIV infection."  Just thought I'd add this for any readers, like myself, who are still learning what all these labs mean.

[bocker3]

I'm finding it hard to get answers to questions from my doc.  I'm wondering if any of you can help out.

What is the importance of Granulocyte %, Lymph %, and ABS Neutrophil?  My Granulocyte % is low at 27.0% with normal being 34-69.5%.  My Lymph % is high at 58.8% with normal being 20-53%.  My ABS Neutrophil is low at 1.4 with normal being 1.70-6.00. 

The other thing was my liver numbers.  Since getting labs, I've had 2 times where my liver numbers were either at the high end of normal or just above normal.  This was the case this time.  My AST was just slighty above normal at 59 with 50 being the top range.  I realize this is not a big deal.  However, I was just curious why this happens sometimes.  It seemed to start after beginning the bp med, but has also been normal on the low end, too.  Could taking my non-HIV meds right before doing bloodwork cause this to be elevated and they probably fall back to normal?  Again, I realize some have liver number sky high and this isn't a big deal--still I'm a curious person as to why our lab numbers do what they do.  I'm not worried over it.

Other than that, my HIV numbers basically were unchanged.  I did "man-up" as the tea-baggers like to say and looked at my labs.  Some of you will remember me saying I got my labs before my appt, but had been too afraid to look at them.  I looked at them.   

Your doc is probably not saying much because there isn't much to say -- although, he/she SHOULD try and answer your questions.

As to your "flipped" granulocytes/lymphocyte percentages.  I would suspect you have some sort of a viral infection -- a cold perhaps.  Lympyhs tend to rise in reaction to viral infections.  Of course there are a whole host of things that could cause this, but that is the most likely.  If you have a decreased granuloycte%, then it is not at all unlikely to see a decreased ABS Neutrophil result.  Granulocytes and neutrophils are the same WBCs.

As to your liver enzymes -- who knows -- I would not spend any time worrying about transient "increases" in the range you describe.  Could be as simple as your personal "normal range" being on the high end of the lab's reference range.

Having a result above a reference range does NOT necessarily mean anything is wrong.  The range is based on a population, not an individual.  The ranges are geared to capture what 95% of the population used to establish it would expect to have if healthy.

Probably not all the satisfying an answer, but that is the best I can give you.

Mike

[tednlou2]

Thanks Mike for the info.  About what you said about some infection or something going on....It was just pointed out to me that I gave the blood around the same time I had that mouth/fungal thing which I posted a pic here.  I had forgotten the timeline.  So, that very well could play a part.  It is good to have people help ya remember timelines.