Saturday, February, 11, 2012

CBC

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Complete blood count


Normal Values
  • RBC count (varies with altitude):
    • Male: 4.7 to 6.1 million cells/mcL
    • Female: 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/mcL
  • WBC count: 4,500 to 10,000 cells/mcL
  • Hematocrit (varies with altitude):
    • Male: 40.7 to 50.3%
    • Female: 36.1 to 44.3%
  • Hemoglobin (varies with altitude):
    • Male: 13.8 to 17.2 gm/dL
    • Female: 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dL
  • MCV: 80 to 95 femtoliter
  • MCH: 27 to 31 pg/cell
  • MCHC: 32 to 36 gm/dL

(cells/mcL = cells per microliter; gm/dL = grams per deciliter; pg/cell = picograms per cell)

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.


What abnormal results mean

High numbers of RBCs or a high hematocrit may be due to:

  • Dehydration (such as from severe diarrhea)
  • Kidney disease with high erythropoietin production
  • Low oxygen level in the blood:
    • Congenital heart disease
    • Cor pulmonale
    • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Polycythemia vera
  • Smoking

Low numbers of RBCs or low hematocrit indicates anemia, which can result from:

  • Autoimmune/collagen-vascular diseases such as lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis
  • Blood loss (hemorrhage)
  • Bone marrow failure (for example, from radiation, infection, or tumor)
  • Erythropoietin deficiency (usually secondary to kidney disease)
  • Hemolysis (red blood cell destruction)
  • Leukemia
  • Malnutrition (nutritional deficiencies of iron, folate, vitamin B12, or vitamin B6)
  • Multiple myeloma

A lower than normal white blood cell count is called leukopenia. A decreased WBC count may be due to:

  • Autoimmune/collagen-vascular diseases (such as systemic lupus erythematosus)
  • Bone marrow failure (for example, due to infection, tumor, radiation, or fibrosis)
  • Disease of the liver or spleen

High numbers of WBCs is called leukocytosis. It can result from:

  • Infectious diseases
  • Inflammatory disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis or allergy)
  • Leukemia
  • Severe emotional or physical stress
  • Tissue damage (such as burns)

Low hemoglobin values may indicate:

  • Anemia (various types)
  • Blood loss

Review Date: 03/04/2010
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine (2/9/2010).

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)