For a large blood count, a differential blood count is also taken in addition to a small blood count. Here, the three subgroups of leukocytes – the granulocytes, the monocytes and the lymphocytes – are examined more closely. The following overview provides you with a summary of the normal values in a major blood test:
Overview of the normal values for a large blood count.
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Rod nucleated granulocytes | 150-400/µl | 150-400/µl |
| Segmental granulocytes | 3000-5800/µl | 3000-5800/µl |
| Eosinophil granulocytes | 50 – 250/µl | 50 – 250/µl |
| Basophilic granulocytes | 15 – 50/µl | 15 – 50/µl |
| Lymphocytes | 1500 – 3000/µl | 1500 – 3000/µl |
| Monocytes | 285 – 500/µl | 285 – 500/µl |
Lymphocytes and monocytes
Elevated lymphocyte levels can have several causes. Among them are certain bacterial or viral infections, cancers such as leukemia, the autoimmune disease sarcoidosis, and hyperthyroidism. Low levels may be caused by taking certain medications, cancers such as Hodgkin’s disease, urinary toxicity, Cushing’s syndrome, and the autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus.
If the monocytes are elevated, this indicates an infection with bacteria, viruses or parasites. In addition, the value can also rise due to certain types of cancer, inflammation of the heart lining or autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or sarcoidosis. A low monocyte level usually occurs only when there is a decrease in the total leukocyte count.
Understanding laboratory values: A check of the most important abbreviations
Granulocyte
Depending on which granulocyte value is elevated or too low, this can indicate different diseases. The following is an overview of possible causes.
Neutrophil granulocyte
Rod-nucleated and segment-nucleated granulocytes are collectively called neutrophil granulocytes.
- Value too high: stress, infections with bacteria, fungi, or protozoa, acute cardiac disease, burns, poisoning, bleeding, medications such as glucocorticoids, use of hormonal contraceptives, epinephrine, or lithium
- Value too low: certain infections such as measles, mumps, typhoid, chickenpox, rubella or malaria, malignant tumors, liver cirrhosis, damage to the bone marrow, lupus erythematosus, congenital deficiency.
Eosinophil granulocytes
- Value too high: infections with worms, certain cancers, skin diseases such as psoriasis, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, taking medications such as acetylsalicylic acid or penicillin
- Value too low: acute infections such as sepsis, inflammation of the peritoneum, pneumonia or typhoid fever, stress, therapy with corticoids, Cushing’s syndrome.
Basophil granulocytes
- Value too high: chronic myeloid leukemia, polycythaemia vera.
- Value too low: Occurs only when the total leukocyte value is decreased.
