Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR)
Understanding Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR)
What is Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR)?
A Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test includes a complete blood count (CBC) test and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test. The CBC test provides information about blood cells, and the ESR test determines the presence of inflammation in the body. These tests help assess overall health.
The blood consists of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets that perform important bodily functions. RBCs are the most abundant cells in the blood that consist of a protein called hemoglobin. This protein helps transport oxygen throughout the body. WBCs are the components of the immune system and help protect the body against infections and cancers. Platelets are responsible for blood clotting and controlling bleeding. Therefore, determining the levels of these cells can provide important health information.
Your doctor may advise a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test if you show symptoms like weakness, fever, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, joint stiffness, shoulder pain, or bruising. This test helps to screen, detect, and monitor medical conditions like infections, nutritional deficiencies, anemia, bleeding disorders, and blood cancers. It also helps the doctor to monitor existing blood disorders and ongoing treatments of conditions that affect your blood cells, like inflammatory diseases and chemotherapy. No special preparation is needed for a hemogram test. You can eat or drink normally as per your daily routine. However, talk to the doctor about all the pre-test instructions.
Test result ranges are approximate and may differ slightly between different labs depending on the methodology and laboratory guidelines. Talk to your doctor about your specific test results. Narrate your complete medical history to help the doctor correlate your clinical and laboratory findings. The test results will help them determine your medical condition, make recommendations for lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise, decide whether or not medication will be required to manage your condition, and formulate your overall treatment plan.
What is Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) used for?
A Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test is done:
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To monitor your overall health as a part of routine checkups.
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If you have symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, or fever.
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To identify diseases like anemia (low number of red blood cells), immune system disorders, blood cancers, bleeding disorders, etc.
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To detect the presence of inflammation induced by infections, tumors, or autoimmune illnesses.
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To monitor the effects of treatments known to affect blood cells, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
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To evaluate the treatment response of inflammatory diseases.
What does Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) measure?
Contains 23 testsA Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test combines a complete blood count (CBC) test and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test. The CBC test evaluates all of your blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) that reflect your general health. The ESR test, on the other hand, determines the presence of any inflammation or infection in your body.
ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
An ESR test measures the rate at which red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle (sediment) at the bottom of a tube that contains a blood sample in one hour.
When there is any inflammation in the body, certain proteins, mainly fibrinogen, increase in the blood. This increased amount of fibrinogen causes the red blood cells to form a stack (rouleaux formation) that settles quickly due to its high density, leading to an increase in the ESR.
An ESR test is a non-specific measure of inflammation and can be affected by conditions other than inflammation also. This test cannot identify the exact location of the inflammation in your body or what is causing it. Hence, an ESR test is usually prescribed along with a few other tests to identify or treat possible health concerns.
Know more about ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
Interpreting Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) results
Interpretations
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Hematocrit (Hct) |
40-52% (Male) |
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37-46% (Female) |
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31-43% (Child) |
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Hemoglobin (Hgb) |
13.2-16.2 gm/dL (Male) |
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12.0-15.2 gm/dL (Female) |
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Red Blood Cell Count (RBC) |
4.3-6.2x106/µL (Male) |
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3.8-5.5x106/µL (Female) |
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3.8-5.5x106/µL (Infant/Child) |
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White Blood Cell Count (WBC) |
4.1-10.9x103/µL |
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DLC |
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Neutrophils |
35-80% |
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Lymphocytes |
20-50% |
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Monocytes |
2-12% |
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Eosinophils |
0-7% |
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Basophils |
0-2% |
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Platelet Count (Plt) |
140-450x103/µL |
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Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) |
Standard Deviation (SD) |
35-47 fL |
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Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) |
82-102 fL (Male) |
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78-101 fL (Female) |
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Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) |
27-34 pg 31-35 gm/dL |
Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) 6.0-9.5 fL
Erythrocyte sedimentation Rate
The normal reference range for Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is:
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Men |
0-15 millimetres per hour (mm/hr), or 0-20 mm/hr for men older than 50 |
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Women |
0-20 mm/hr, or 0-30 mm/hr for women older than 50 |
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Children |
0-10 mm/hr |
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Newborns |
0-2 mm/hr |
Answers to Patient Concerns & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR)
Frequently Asked Questions about Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR)
Q. When is a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test performed?
Q. How is a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test performed?
Q. What is the benefit of getting a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test done?
Q. Is there any risk associated with a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test?
Q. Can I take a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test during pregnancy?
Q. Which diseases can a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test detect?
Q. Can a Complete Hemogram (CBC & ESR) test detect cancers?
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References
- Complete Blood Count with Differential [Internet]. NY: University of Rochester Medical Center; [Accessed 25 Jan. 2023]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=complete_blood_count_w_differential
- Drawz S, Linden M. Complete Blood Count (CBC) Basics [Internet]. Washington, DC: AACC; 10 May 2016 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2023]. Available from: https://www.aacc.org/science-and-research/clinical-chemistry-trainee-council/trainee-council-in-english/pearls-of-laboratory-medicine/2016/complete-blood-count-basics
- Paramastri R, Hsu CY, Lee HA, Lin LY, Kurniawan AL, Chao JC. Association between Dietary Pattern, Lifestyle, Anthropometric Status, and Anemia-Related Biomarkers among Adults: A Population-Based Study from 2001 to 2015. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 26;18:3438. [Accessed 25 Jan. 2023]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33810272/
- Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease [Internet]. USA: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Sept. 2020 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2023]. Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/anemia
- Addiss F. Understanding your Blood Test Results [Internet]. Buffalo, USA: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; 30 Jun. 2020 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2023]. Available from: https://www.roswellpark.org/cancertalk/202006/understanding-your-blood-test-results
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