What Can Cause Elevated White Blood Count – Medically reviewed by Suzanne Falck, M.D., FACP — By Lori Smith, MSN, BSN, WHNP-BC — Updated January 3, 2023

White blood cells help fight infection and are essential for health and well-being. Changes in white blood cell levels can occur during infections, during pregnancy, and with some cancers.

What Can Cause Elevated White Blood Count

A high white blood cell count may indicate that the immune system is working to destroy the infection.

High White Blood Cell Count

It can also be a sign of physical or mental stress. People with particular leukemias may also have high white blood cell counts.

A low white blood cell count can signal that an injury or condition is destroying cells faster than the body makes them, or that the body is producing too few cells.

White blood cells make up about 1% of total blood cells, and they are essential for the regular functioning of the immune system. White blood cells are also called white blood cells.

Bone marrow continuously produces white blood cells. They are stored in the blood and lymph systems until needed to fight infection or disease in the body.

High Performance Density Gradient Media For Purification Of Leukocytes From Blood

There are normally between 4,500 and 11,000 white blood cells in each microliter of blood, although this number can vary depending on gender, age, and race.

When needed, monocytes move to other organs, such as the spleen, liver, lungs, and bone marrow, where they transform into cells called macrophages.

Macrophages are responsible for many functions, including removing dead or damaged tissue, killing cancer cells, and regulating immune responses.

An increase in the number of white blood cells is called leukocytosis. It usually occurs in response to the following conditions:

Blood Differential Test & Example

Some respiratory diseases, such as whooping cough or tuberculosis, can increase white blood cell counts.

In some cases, all white blood cells are affected. However, some people have a specific disease in which only one type of white blood cell is affected.

If levels of a particular type of white blood cell increase, this may be due to a specific cause:

Sometimes, there is no identifiable cause for the increased white blood cell count. This is called idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. It can lead to serious complications, such as damage to the heart, lungs, liver, skin, and nervous system.

Hematocrit (hct) Blood Test: High Vs. Low Levels

White blood cell levels increase significantly during healthy pregnancy due to the physical stress the body endures during this time. Levels begin to increase in the first trimester and continue to increase into the third trimester.

Leukocytes per microliter of blood. This is in response to the physical stress and trauma of labor.

If white blood cell levels are lower than normal, this may be a sign that the person has reduced immune activity.

A deficiency of white blood cells is why people with diseases or taking medications that suppress the immune system are at higher risk of infection.

Mean Decreases In White Blood Cell Counts (wbc) And Lecithin Count Per…

They develop when too many immature blood cells are produced, leading to an imbalance. Myeloproliferative disorders are rare conditions that may or may not be malignant.

The exact impact of high white blood cell counts depends on the condition or factor causing them.

After noting any symptoms, your doctor may use blood tests to assess your white blood cell count, and further tests and examinations may be needed to determine the exact cause of the problem. topic.

A high white blood cell count can indicate a number of things, such as the immune system working to destroy infections, signs of physical or mental stress, or specific types of cancer.

High White Blood Cell Count Causes

Pregnancy also leads to high white blood cell counts, as levels tend to increase from the first trimester to the third trimester. White blood cell levels will also increase in the hours after labor due to the severe stress the body experiences.

Meanwhile, a low white blood cell count can signal that an injury or condition is destroying cells faster than the body can make them. It can also mean that the body produces too little of this substance.

Although symptoms will depend on the cause of the high white blood cell count, fluctuations in white blood cell count may not cause any symptoms.

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Basophils: What High And Low Levels Mean

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White blood cells are immune cells that help fight infection and disease. Read on to learn what a high or low white blood cell count means.

Elevated White Blood Cell Count, Decreased Hematocrit And Presence Of Macrohematuria Correlate With Abdominal Organ Injury In Pediatric Blunt Trauma Patients: A Retrospective Study

White blood cells, or white blood cells, help the body fight infections. The five types of white blood cells are basophils, neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes [1].

There is a relationship between white blood cell (WBC) count and red blood cell protein, heart rate, weight, cholesterol, uric acid, creatinine, gender, ethnic origin, blood pressure, height and blood sugar in both men and women [2].

Having a high white blood cell count is not good, but for some people, having a white blood cell count that is too low means they will not be able to fight infections effectively.

Your doctor will interpret your WBC test results, taking into account your medical history and other test results. A slightly high result may not be medically meaningful because the test often varies from day to day and from person to person.

Rbc Blood Test: Normal Ranges And Diagnostic Uses

A white blood cell count that is too low can be a sign of the immune system’s inability to handle infections properly.

Additionally, low white blood cell counts tend to indicate other problems in the body. For example, in some autoimmune conditions, white blood cell counts may be lower. If you are concerned about a low WBC count, work with your doctor to identify and address the underlying causes and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

The causes listed here are often associated with this symptom, but a low white blood cell count is not enough to determine the underlying condition causing it. Work with your doctor or other health care professional to get an accurate diagnosis.

If you are concerned about a high white blood cell count, work with your doctor to identify and address the underlying causes and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Treatment

Leukocytes participate in the inflammatory process, are recruited at the site of endothelial damage, and form foam cells in the plaque [3].

White blood cells can accumulate in the arteries and cause hardening, contributing to plaque formation and potentially causing a heart attack. Besides stiffening the arteries, high white blood cell counts can cause circulatory problems, thicken the blood, and increase the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The following is a list of links to conditions or diseases that are aggravated by elevated white blood cell counts:

Repeatedly, studies have shown that leukocytosis is a clinical marker of inflammation and a strong predictor of all-cause mortality (death) risk [4, 5].

Basophils: Function & Ranges

Total leukocyte count is an independent predictor of mortality in older adults, but monocyte subtype has greater predictive power [6].

White blood cell count within 24 hours of hospitalization for a heart attack is a strong and independent predictor of the risk of in-hospital and 30-day mortality. Compared with patients in the lowest 20%, patients with the highest 20% of white blood cell counts were three times more likely to die at 30 days [7].

High WBC values ​​predict diabetes when adjusted for age, sex, body fat, and other diabetes predictors [10].

Additionally, high baseline white blood cell counts have been associated with subsequent worsening of insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes in Pima Indians [10].

Low White Blood Cell Count: Causes, Diagnosis, And Treatment

These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic activation of the immune system may play a role in type 2 diabetes [10].

Increased neutrophil counts and decreased lymphocyte counts are independent predictors of increased mortality risk in hemodialysis patients [11].

If you have low white blood cell counts,

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