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Complete Blood Count (CBC) - What To Think About
About this test
- The white blood count can change by as much as 2,000 WBCs per microliter (mcL) from exercise, stress, or smoking.
- Children normally have higher WBC (leukocyte) counts than adults.
- Other red blood cell tests that may be done include:
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). An ESR test measures how quickly red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle in a test tube. When inflammation in the body is present (such as from an infection or cancer), red blood cells may settle more slowly than normal. An ESR may help find certain inflammatory diseases when CBC results are normal. For more information, see the topic Sedimentation Rate.
- Reticulocyte count. This test counts the number of immature red blood cells (reticulocytes) in a blood sample. Generally, only a few reticulocytes are present in the blood in relation to mature red blood cells. But recent bleeding or mature red blood cells being destroyed can cause a lot of new reticulocytes made. This test can help find some types of anemia and check how well treatment is working. For more information, see the topic Reticulocyte Count.
- Hematocrit measurements can be very different depending on the method and type of machine used to do the test.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: August 3, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Joseph O'Donnell, MD - Hematology, Oncology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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