Lab results - looking for opinions [PLEASE READ 1ST POST]

Maria Fisher46 said:Ma'am,

Your ultrasound results might point toward what we call fatty liver—basically, fat accumulating in the liver tissue. This can stem from all sorts of things—ranging from weight issues and diabetes to cellular damage caused by viral hepatitis or exposure to toxins, whether that’s alcohol, certain medications, or various other substances. For more specifics on that, please consult with Dr. Hrvoj and the others over in the Damaged Liver thread, since we’re drifting off-topic here.

As for your child, how is his vision? How do his eyes look? Is he able to lift his head to touch his chin to his chest while lying down? Does light bother him, or is he experiencing any vomiting?

Hello,

The little one isn't vomiting; his vision seems fine from what I can tell, light doesn't bother him, and he can touch his chin to his chest.
His temperature is a bit better today—sitting at 99.5°F for now—so I'm hoping it doesn't climb any higher. I went ahead and pulled my own blood draw results.
Everything came back negative for hepatitis and HIV-1 and 2.
However, for cytomegalovirus, it was igm-negative igg 1:516, which is equivocal.
And for EBV, it was Igm-negative and IgG at 115 units/ml, which is positive.
Can anyone tell me if this points toward mononucleosis or something else entirely, and what exactly this result implies?

Thank you so much.

Hello,

A positive IgG result for a virus typically indicates a past infection rather than something brand new.

However, for an accurate reading, doctors usually order what’s called paired sera. This involves a second blood draw about two to four weeks after the first. Comparing those two results is how you get a reliable interpretation.

Best regards. 🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Dear lady,

A positive IgG result for a specific virus typically indicates a past infection rather than something brand new.

However—and this is a big "however"—for a truly accurate interpretation, doctors usually order what we call paired sera. This involves doing a blood draw at two different times, spaced about two to four weeks apart. Only then can you compare the results to get a definitive reading.

Best regards. 🙂

Thanks for the reply!
I just got the results back for my little one, and everything is negative except for Toxoplasma gondii—which came back positive.
-igm-91 UI/ml (anything over 8 is considered positive)
aviditet 0.033 LOW
What does all this actually mean? How dangerous is it, and could this be linked to those previous blood results and the elevated liver enzymes?

Thank you so much, and please forgive me for asking so many questions! 🙂

Chris Howard3 said:Thanks for getting back to me!
I just got my little one's results back. Everything is negative except for Toxoplasma gondii—that came back positive.
-igm-91 UI/ml (anything over 8 is considered positive)
avidity is 0.033 LOW
What does this actually mean? How risky is it, and could this be linked to the previous blood work and those elevated liver enzymes?

Thank you so much, and sorry for all the questions! 🙂

Hello,

As I mentioned before, infectious mononucleosis syndrome can be triggered by various sources—ranging from viruses (like EBV, CMV, or HHV-6) to parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite can certainly produce this specific clinical picture and set of lab results. That is why we proceeded with testing the child.

To properly interpret the Toxoplasma gondii serology, the IgG result is also necessary (which we know is positive, given that the IgG antibody avidity was tested).

The reality is that interpreting these results is quite complex. If both markers (IgM and IgG) are positive, it suggests a recent infection within the last year, and samples will need to be sent for further analysis. There is an even higher probability of a relatively recent infection if we see both positive IgM and IgG combined with low IgG avidity.

A fresh infection is also possible if the IgG is borderline while the IgM is positive.

If we are looking at any of those scenarios, we’ll need to take another sample about 2 to 3 weeks after the first blood draw for follow-up testing.

For context, Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite; humans typically contract it through contact with cats (unwashed hands) or via contaminated food.

When healthy children are infected with this parasite—and I must reiterate, a single blood draw cannot confirm whether an infection is current or past; you generally need at least two samples and multiple tests—symptoms usually resolve on their own. Treatment is only required in specific instances.

The primary concern with a fresh infection is for pregnant women, due to the risk of transmission to the fetus, and for individuals with compromised immune systems (such as those living with HIV, lymphoma, bone marrow transplant recipients, or those on immunosuppressive medications).

Best regards. 🙂

I can't thank you all enough! 🙂

Part I
Lab Hematology Rel interval

(US) Erythrocytes 4.78 4.34 - 5.72
Hemoglobin 149 138 - 175
Hematocrit 0.433 0.415 - 0.530
MCV 90.7 83.0 - 97.2
MCHC 343 320 - 345
RDW 12.4 9.0 - 15.0
Platelets 296 158 - 424
MPV 7.5 6.8 - 10.4
Leukocytes 7.1 3.4 - 9.7

Differential Blood Count

Eosinophil granulocytes 2.0 rel% 0 - 7
Basophilic granulocytes 1.0 rel% 0 - 1
Neutrophil granulocytes 35.0 L rel% 44- 72
Lymphocytes 46 rel% 20-46
Reactive Lymphocytes 6.2 H rel% 0
Monocytes 10 rel% 2-12

Basophilic granulocytes 0.07 x10 /L 0.00 - 0.06
Neutrophil granulocytes 2.49 x10 /L 2.06 - 6.49
Lymphocytes 3.27 x10/L 1.19 - 3.35
Monocytes 0.71 x10/L 0.12 - 0.84

Clinical Biochemistry

Glucose 4.8 mmol/L 4.4 - 6.4
Urea 4.5 -ii- 2.8 - 8.3
Creatinine 56L 64- 104
Urate 282 182 - 403
Total Bilirubin 8 3 - 20
ALT 47 12 - 48
GGT 35 11 - 55
C-reactive protein CRP 0.7
Physical urine appearance

Appearance clear clear
Color light yellow light yellow
pH 7.0 pH j. 5.0 - 9.0
Rel specific gravity 1.015 kg/L 1.002 - 1.030
Glucose 0.8
Bilirubin 0
Ketones 0.5
Erythrocytes Hemoglobin 10
Proteins 0.2
Urobilinogen Nitrites 0
Leukocyte esterase
Microscopic urine exam
Leukocytes 0-2
Bacteria some
Mucus some

Not much else to say. I was diagnosed with fatty liver a few months back and was on a diet, but then I slacked off a bit.
I went for new tests because of some lower abdominal pain and burning in my urinary tract, though I think it might just be because I wasn't in great shape and caught a chill or something.
I'm not out here looking for an STD since I'm in a relationship.
Could someone explain these results? I think I've covered everything.
Thanks in advance.

Since I’ve been feeling so incredibly weak lately—to the point where I can barely stay on my feet—and my periods have become quite frequent, my doctor sent me in for a blood draw. My iron levels seem to be perfectly fine, I suppose.

My MPV is 10.7, whereas the normal range is listed as 6.8–10.4.
Basophilic granulocytes are at 0.07, while the standard range is 0–0.06.
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is 13, though the limit starts at 14–32.
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is 9, when the threshold is 10–29.
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is 8, against a range of 10–24.
I’ve only noted these specific values that fall outside the margins, though there are other results present which all seem to be within the normal limits.

Microscopic examination of sediment—per field of view:
Leukocyte count is 0–2, with a range of 0–2.
Erythrocytes are 0–2, with a range of 0–2.
The report mentions a few squamous epithelial cells, while the range is 0–4.
There is a fair amount of mucus, though the limit is 0.
Bacteria are rare, even though the limit is 0.

I’ve struggled with thyroid issues for years now, though perhaps they aren't massive deviations:
TSH is 7.37, compared to the typical range of 0.27 to 4.2.

While my antibodies had actually dropped even lower previously—about two years ago, they were
TPO 26.1, with a range of 0–34.
TPO 23.83, with a range of 0–115.
Now, my recent findings suggest TPO is 5.00 and TPO is 10.00.

I feel utterly exhausted, completely burnt out, and I can barely manage to eat properly; I am just barely scraping by...
And yet, my lab results appear to be more or less fine, I guess...

Would anyone be willing to try and interpret these for me and perhaps explain what these numbers might actually signify?

Sin (14g) had some bloodwork done because he’s dealing with a nasty ulcer on his lower leg.

Everything came back looking totally normal except for
his CRP at 4.1 (normal range is 0.1-2.8) and
his ASL-O (Antistreptolysin O) which hit 243 (it should be under 200)

Right now, he's on a regimen of Amoxicillin and an antibiotic cream, but honestly, we aren't seeing any real improvement yet.
Does this ASL-O level mean there's strep currently circulating in his bloodstream, and is Amoxicillin actually strong enough to take down this specific type of bacteria?

Thanks

Hi, I'm 22 and a few months ago I started noticing certain patches on my skin. They began peeling and thickening, eventually losing their pigmentation altogether. My dermatologist suspects lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Following that, I had some blood work done; everything came back low except for my white blood cell count. My AST and ALT liver enzyme levels were also low. I'm wondering if those low values could be linked to this condition, or if there are other specific ailments where low AST and ALT are common indicators?

Dennis Rodriguez15 said:Neutrophil granulocytes. Essentially the front-line infantry of the immune system. When an infection hits, these cells are the first ones out of the barracks to engage. They don't wait for orders from high command; they just move in to neutralize the threat. My relative levels came back at 35.0%. The standard range sits between 44% and 72%. It’s a bit low. Like running a marathon on half a tank of gas—you can still move, but you aren't exactly cruising.
Reactive Lymphocytes. 6.2% H relative humidity. Zero.
Basophils 0.07 x10 /L (Reference range: 0.00 - 0.06)

To whom it may concern,

This kind of result often acts like a lingering footprint from a recent viral infection—the kind where you see reactive lymphocytes popping up in the bloodwork.

Urinalysis.
White blood cell count at 0-2.
Bacteria. Something about them.
It’s just some mucus.

The urinalysis looks clean, for all intents and purposes.

Are you still dealing with pain, burning, or discomfort during urination? Any unusual discharge? Frequent trips to the bathroom? Or perhaps issues with your stream?

feralhound61 said:I’m 22. A few months back, certain patches appeared on my skin. They started peeling and thickening, eventually losing all pigmentation. My dermatologist suspects lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Following that, I had some blood work done. Everything came back low, with the exception of my White blood cell count. My liver enzymes—AST and Alanine aminotransferase—are also low. I’m wondering if those low values could be linked to this condition, or if there are other specific ailments where low AST and Alanine aminotransferase are common.

To whom it may concern,

What specific ranges for AST and Alanine aminotransferase are we actually discussing here? Generally speaking, low liver enzyme levels don't carry much clinical weight.

Chloe Garcia22 said:My son (14 years old) had his blood drawn because he’s dealing with a persistent ulcer on his lower leg.

Everything looks normal, except...
CRP at 4.1. Reference range is 0.1 to 2.8. Just a thought.
ASL-O levels sitting at 243. Reference range caps at 200. It's elevated. Just a data point on the page, but one worth noting.

He’s currently on a course of amoxicillin and an antibiotic cream, but there hasn't been any improvement. It's like applying a bandage to a leak that won't stop; the treatment just isn't holding.
Does this ASTO indicate strep in the bloodstream, and is amoxicillin strong enough to handle that specific bacteria?

Thanks.

To whom it may concern,

An ASTO result simply indicates that someone has been—or currently is—in contact with streptococcus. A single reading isn't exactly a smoking gun when it comes to timing; you can't rely on one test alone to determine if we're looking at a past infection or something active right now. It’s also a bit of a blind spot regarding location. The numbers won't tell you where the actual trouble started, whether it's the tonsils, the throat, the nasal cavity, or even the skin.

You haven't provided much to work with here. How long has this sore been present? Were there specific circumstances surrounding its onset? I also need to know the duration of the current treatment plan, whether there's an underlying diagnosis like diabetes or other chronic conditions, and if a wound culture has been performed. Is the condition worsening, and what exactly does the progression look like?

Kate Kern said:My MPV came back at 10.7. The standard range is 6.8 to 10.4.
Basophils at 0.07. Normal range is 0–0.06.
AST is at 13. The reference range is 14 to 32.
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at 9. The normal range starts at 10.
GGT is at 8. The threshold starts at 10—24.
I've only noted the values that fell outside the normal range. Everything else came back within limits.

Microscopic sediment analysis—per field of view.
White blood cell count: 0-2. Reference range: 0-2. Everything looks normal.
The score sits at 0-2. The line is 0-2.
My squamous epithelial cell count is low, and the range is listed as 0-4.
High levels of saliva, yet zero glucose.
The bacteria count is negligible, yet the threshold sits at zero. It’s like being told you have a clean slate when the math says otherwise.

To whom it may concern,

The labs you mentioned are essentially normal. Those slightly low levels for AST, Alanine aminotransferase, and GGT? They don't carry any clinical weight.

I’ve been dealing with kidney issues for years now. Nothing major, just some persistent inconsistencies:
TSH at 7.37. The standard range is 0.27 to 4.2.

The results point toward subclinical hypothyroidism. Essentially, the thyroid isn't firing on all cylinders. I assume the actual hormone levels are still within the normal range. Treating this condition is a bit of a minefield; per current medical guidelines, medication is usually held in reserve for those with a TSH above 10, unless very specific criteria are met.

I'm exhausted. Completely drained. I can't even manage a decent meal. Honestly, I'm barely hanging on.
No, I'm seeing about this much in my office...

Your set of symptoms is fairly vague. I expect others here will weigh in, but in my view, this is drifting away from the core purpose of the group: providing clarity on lab results.

It might be worth starting a dedicated thread titled "Set of symptoms:..." followed by a list of the primary issues. We could use that space to dive deeper into specific problems and previous testing, perhaps even speculating on differential diagnoses and what further labs we might need.

When starting a new thread, consider these details: how long has this set of symptoms lasted? Be specific about what you're feeling—excessive sleepiness, muscle weakness, fatigue, a lack of motivation, loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting. Did this hit you all at once or creep up slowly? Does the severity shift throughout the day? Are there specific triggers that make things worse or better? Think about how much this interferes with your daily routine. Have you noticed any weight loss or night sweats? How is your muscle tone? Mention any medications you’re currently taking, your sleep patterns, or if you've noticed any swollen lymph nodes. Regarding lab work: what tests have you completed? Include your blood pressure readings and results for serum electrolytes, glucose, creatinine, urea, sedimentation, CRP, and LDH. Also, note your diet, digestive habits, and whether you smoke or drink coffee. Finally, have you consulted any specialists yet?

I suggest we move this discussion—and everything else related to it—to its own dedicated thread.

Greetings. 🙂

I occasionally deal with lower abdominal pain and a stinging sensation in my bladder. It gets more uncomfortable when I step out into the cold weather
. Currently, I'm focusing on staying hydrated with plenty of plain water. My doctor recommended this to help flush out the inflammation and clear those bacteria from the bladder
.

I’ve sadly become a bit of a regular here on this health forum, but I suppose that’s just how life goes sometimes. I’m reaching out because I could really use some guidance. This coming Friday, I’m scheduled for breast cancer surgery. I met with my anesthesiologist today, and while almost everything looked perfectly fine, there was one specific thing I really wasn't expecting to see.
My White blood cell count was 10.4, and my Neutrophil granulocytes were 7.2. My doctor mentioned it probably isn't anything major, especially since I had bloodwork done last Friday when I was feeling a little—just a tiny bit—of a sore throat.
After our appointment, I decided to stop by a local private lab to get a current reading, hoping for some clarity, but the results actually looked even more concerning:
White blood cell 11.1, Neutrophil granulocytes 80.8% (H), Lymphocytes 15.4 (L), Monocytes 1.9 (L), Neutrophil granulocytes 9

Aside from those numbers, I don't feel any pain at all; my other bloodwork and urinalysis came back completely normal. My doctor did prescribe an antibiotic just in case, so I am holding onto the hope that things will stabilize by Thursday when I head into the hospital.
I wanted to ask: if I don't have a fever and I'm not experiencing any actual pain, what else could be causing this? Is it possible that the immense stress I've been under lately is playing a role? I'm feeling quite anxious because I truly want to proceed with this surgery as planned... I hope you can understand where I'm coming from.
Thank you all so very much in advance for your help.

Hey Dr. Miller, would you mind sending me your email via PM? I’d like to forward my entire medical file over to you, and honestly, I have a handful of specific questions I need to run by you if you don't mind. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, my little one is eighteen months old and we just got the CMV test results back. The IgM came back negative, but the IgG is positive at 2.7 IU/ml via the EIA method. The lab's reference range is >0.4 for positive and div>

Honestly, I have no clue which section of this PDF is actually meant for questions like this, so I’m just dumping it here.

Is drinking a liter of green tea every couple of days going to wreck my system or what?

My 10-month-old little one had a bout of vomiting a few days back, and honestly, everything seemed perfectly fine the very next day. However, on the third day following that initial vomiting episode, she spiked a fever of 101.3°F—which lasted just a single day—and then the diarrhea kicked in. She’s been dealing with it for three days now. Her appetite is nonexistent, and on the rare occasion she actually manages to eat something, it seems to pass through her system almost instantly via diarrhea. We’ve already had to deal with an IV drip at the hospital; they ran a viral panel which came back negative, so now we are stuck in limbo waiting on the bacterial culture results.
CRP is 66 (range 0.0-5.0)
UREA is 2.4 (range 2.8-8.3)
CREATININE is 40 (range 79-125)
SODIUM is 135 (range 127-146)
POTASSIUM is 4.1 (range 3.9-5.1)
AST is 50 (range 11-38)

MO is 16.9 (range 5.0-13.0)

Today, I noticed some mucus in her stool. The doctors aren't willing to provide any specific guidance or treatment until the full battery of tests, including the bacterial ones, is finalized. Does anyone have any insight or advice?

I have a quick question. Please forgive me if I've posted this in the wrong thread.

So, I was prescribed Dalacin 300 mg to deal with a tooth infection. Just out of curiosity, I decided to check my blood sugar today after breakfast, and it was 6.0. Then two hours after lunch, it was 8.7.😕

I'm taking the tablets every 8 hours, and I'm just wondering if the medication might be causing this?🤷 My parents both have diabetes, and I am 27 years old. Thanks for any insight.

steelwalker68 said:I have a quick question. If I've posted this in the wrong thread, please forgive me.

So, I was prescribed Dalacin 300 mg because of a tooth infection. Out of nowhere today, just because I felt like it, I decided to check my levels with a glucometer after breakfast and it was 6. Then after lunch (about 2 hours later), it hit 8.7 .😕

I'm taking the pills every 8 hours now, so I'm not sure if they're causing this or what? 🤷 Both of my parents deal with diabetes. Also, I'm 27. Thanks for any help.

Dalacin (clindamycin) is an incredibly potent antibiotic, and like anything else you throw at your body, it has its side effects, but it’s not really standard for it to "spike" your blood sugar levels.
Actually, any kind of inflammation can bump those numbers up—though, honestly, I'm not entirely sure how much a single tooth infection could swing things that hard, but hey, nothing is impossible.
Given that both of your parents have diabetes, it definitely makes sense to get an OGTT done once you're finished with the dental work, and then maybe follow up with more testing depending on what those results look like.
Then again, if lunch involved some seriously sugary dessert, that might explain the jump too.
It's also worth remembering that even home glucometers aren't always 100% perfect...
Are you keeping a steady weight, or maybe getting some regular exercise?