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

steeleagle152 said:Can someone help me make sense of these results? My doctors are currently looking into psoriatic arthritis. My CRP has been elevated for over a year now, and my primary care physician hasn't been able to pin down the cause. I ended up at physical therapy by total chance because my foot has been killing me, and the therapist suggested it might be arthritis. I'm still waiting on the RF and anti-something results—I can't remember if it was ccb or something similar—but I should have those back tomorrow.
Thanks.
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There isn't much to go on with this report. The C-reactive protein is only marginally elevated, and since there's no differential blood count, we can't tell which cells are actually up—neutrophils or lymphocytes. It’s necessary to get a CBC and check the ESR. If the sedimentation rate comes back accelerated, that could point toward an inflammatory rheumatic disease, including the one you mentioned. Either way, there is clearly some inflammation present, but this specific set of results doesn't distinguish its nature.

Chris Kim63 said:I deal with frequent ear infections. I’m clear for now, but I just headed in to get swabs taken from both ears.

It says both ears:

No polymorphonuclear white blood cells detected. Epithelial cells were present.

And specifically regarding the left ear, it notes:
Saprophytic bacteria. Basically, the cleanup crew of the microbial world. They live off dead organic matter—breaking things down so the rest of the ecosystem can actually function. Think of them as nature's recycling department. Without them, everything just stays stuck in place.

And for the right side:
Staphylococcus aureus.
Regarding penicillin and amoxicillin: resistant.
Sensitive to ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, oxacillin, and cefazolin.

I'd like to get some thoughts on this.

"Ear infection" is too vague here. You have to distinguish between an outer ear infection—the ear canal—and a middle ear infection. If you’re dealing with recurring outer ear issues alongside these specific findings, it’s time to see an ENT specialist. They can handle localized treatments, like cleaning out the canal or applying topical therapy if necessary. In that scenario, oral antibiotics shouldn't even be on the table.

Jessica Baker69 said:The doctor insists there’s nothing to worry about—that it isn't anything serious. But I'm still dealing with symptoms, and I can't just live like this without a definitive diagnosis. There is some very mild atrophy present, though. She actually measured it, but since she doesn't believe it confirms any pathological changes, she dismissed it as mere natural asymmetry.

It’s highly probable the physician is correct. This sounds like benign fasciculation syndrome, perhaps coupled with a slight, natural bodily asymmetry, which is hardly unusual. If you're still feeling uneasy, get a second opinion from another neurologist.

Chloe Garcia10 said:Hi,
I've had a low-grade fever, up to 99°F, for the past few days.
I had bloodwork done today.
Here are the results:
WBC 11, CRP 1.7, BILIRUBIN 13, CREATININE 70, UREA 46, AMYLASE 67, Red Blood Cell 4.73, Hemoglobin 137, Hematocrit 0.397, Platelet 197, White Blood Cell 9.61, Neutrophils 76.2 H (44-72), Lymphocytes 17.2 L (20-46), Monocytes 5.9, eosinophils 0.1, basophils 0.3, neutrophils (abs) 7.32 H (2.06-6.49), lymphocytes (abs) 1.68.

My bloodwork from Monday was normal, except for a urine test that suggested a UTI. I was prescribed antibiotics/urosepsis treatment and have been taking them since Monday evening.
Why the change in my blood counts?
Best regards,

Essentially, it suggests some level of inflammation—possibly an infection—is lingering in your system. It could be an infection that hasn't been fully cleared by the medication, or it might not be an infection at all, but something else entirely.

Could it be a bacterial infection, or maybe viral?
When you say "it could be something else," what exactly are you getting at?
Best regards

Maria Fisher46 said:It's highly likely the doctor is on the right track and we're looking at benign fasciculation syndrome. Plus, having a slight, natural asymmetry in your body isn't anything out of the ordinary. If you aren't buying it, go get a second opinion from another neurologist.

Basically, there's some kind of inflammation (maybe an infection) lurking in your system. It might be an infection that didn't get treated properly, or honestly, it might not even be an infection at all—could be something else entirely.

Chloe Garcia10 said:Could it be either a bacterial or a viral infection?
When you suggest it could be something else, what exactly are we looking at?
Lp

It could be an incomplete recovery from a bacterial infection—something lingering or just barely cleared—but a mild elevation in neutrophils can also show up at the onset of a viral illness before lymphocytes eventually rise. So, yes, it could be either.

Given the wide array of various symptoms you've described across several different threads here, there is a possibility that low-grade fevers and these lab results could signal the start of a non-infectious condition, such as a rheumatological issue. However, a few days of low-grade temperature is far too short a window to diagnose something like that.

Look, you're totally right—I'm constantly dealing with something, and I've become completely obsessed with my own symptoms. I'm always hyper-focusing on every little sensation and overreacting to everything, which leads me down a rabbit hole of diagnosing myself with all sorts of illnesses. I end up paying for all kinds of private testing because, let's be real, nobody is getting those referrals through insurance fast enough to actually get checked out. I know deep down the biggest issue is all in my head, and I'm trying to fight it,
though sometimes I have more luck than others..
Right now, I’ve been dealing with this burning, stinging sensation in my spine from ThVII-ThIX for about 12 days now. It started two days after I began DNS therapy, even though my thoracic and lumbar MRIs came back perfectly normal. My blood work was fine initially, but now these recent changes in my blood counts have me spiraling. I immediately start thinking it's some kind of bone cancer or something pressing against my spine.
Do I really have anything to worry about if the MRI was clear?

Best,

Maria Fisher46 said:It could be an incomplete or lingering bacterial infection, but slightly elevated neutrophils can also show up at the start of a viral illness before lymphocytes eventually rise. So, it could honestly be either one.

Given that you seem to be dealing with a massive, overwhelming variety of different symptoms—which is pretty obvious looking at your many posts across various threads on this forum—it's possible that a low-grade fever and these blood results could signal the onset of a non-infectious condition, like something rheumatological. However, having a low fever for just a few days is way too short a window to diagnose something like that.

Maria Fisher46 said:There isn't much to go on with these results. Your CRP is only slightly elevated, and since there's no differential blood count, we can't tell which cells are actually up—neutrophils or lymphocytes. You'll need a CBC and an ESR test. If the sedimentation rate is high, it might point toward an inflammatory rheumatic disease, including the one you mentioned. Either way, there’s clearly some inflammation happening, but this specific report doesn't show us what kind.

"Ear infection" is a pretty vague term here. There are different types—outer ear infections versus middle ear infections, for starters. If you're dealing with frequent outer ear issues alongside these labs, you should see an ENT specialist to look into local treatments, like cleaning out the canal or applying topical meds if needed. In that scenario, oral antibiotics shouldn't even be on the table.

Thanks. I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with an ENT. I've had outer ear infections before with discharge, where my ear just plugs up and hurts like hell. It's happened to one ear a few times, but this last time it was both. Honestly, I'm dreading the next one because that pain is just brutal.

Saw a specialist and got prescribed some antibiotics along with orders for bloodwork and a urine test.
Antibiotics are already in my system, but I can't get the labs done for another 2-3 days because of how the referral works. Anyone know if being on antibiotics is going to mess with my results?

I need assistance interpreting these results.
A friend of mine had a lump on the inside of her upper arm that she was planning to have removed.
She went for an ultrasound yesterday, and the radiologist immediately flagged it as a potential sarcoma, sending her for an urgent biopsy.
The biopsy report states:
A mass measuring 50x30x30mm.
The puncture yielded a gelatinous material.
Smears of the aspirate revealed individual cells with round or oval nuclei, regular chromatin structure, moderately abundant spindle-shaped cytoplasm, phagocytes, significant amounts of myxoid extracellular material, and Red Blood Cells.
We are seeing a plastic surgeon for a biopsy in a few days.
She's had this lump for several years, and it has been growing steadily.

I just got my nasopharyngeal swab results back, and it says "Culture of the sample showed no growth."
Does that mean the results are okay? I’ve never seen that wording before, so I'm not entirely sure.🤔

Hey everyone. I’m looking for some insight on these lab results.
I'm 31, not pregnant, have one kid, and honestly, all these issues started right after I gave birth.
My joints—specifically my knee and big toe—keep swelling up. When it happens, they get swollen, red, warm to the touch, and pretty painful.
Gout has been ruled out since my uric acid levels are within the normal range, but this pain has been dragging on for six weeks now.
Currently treating it with Indomethacin.
My blood work looks mostly fine, except for this:
RBC 12.8 (low) ref. interval 14.6-16.5
MPV 12.0 (high) ref. interval 6.8-10.4
CRP 13.5 (high) ref. interval 0.0-5.0
Rheumatoid factor is 10, where the ref. interval is Waaler-Rose Follow-up tests were all normal, including thyroid hormones. Negative for ANA, ANA titer, ANA fluorescence type, anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm, anti-Sm/RNP, anti-Jo-1, anti-Scl-70, anti-U1RNP, and anti-histone antibodies.
The Ena-screen came back negative at 40).
I guess I’m wondering if there’s any significance to these antibody values even if they're low, or if they're just negligible? Do these numbers suggest the start of something or future development, or should I just ignore them?
Anti-SS-A/Ro (60 kDa) 18
Anti-SS-A/Ro (52 kDa) 2
Anti-SS-B/La 1
Anti-ribosomal 12
Anti-centromere 2
Anti-PmSCl 7
Anti-PCNA 7
Besides all that, I get fatigued really easily, deal with muscle aches, dry eyes, and a throat that feels constantly inflamed. I'm also taking Zoprax for GERD. I've been seeing an orthopedist and a physiatrist, doing physical therapy for a few things: an L5-S1 disc protrusion, spina bifida occulta, slight right-sided scoliosis, atrophy in my knee muscles, a small synovial cyst, and degenerative changes in my lower limb joints.
I also get tingling in my hands and feet quite often. I can't sleep on my stomach at night because my arms go numb. Lately, my fingertips turn red while my palms turn white; I've always had poor circulation and anemia.
Should I be worried about Lupus, or is this all just coming from my spine and arthritis?

Chloe Garcia10 said:Do I have any reason to worry if the MRI came back clean?

Regarding those concerns about "spinal bone cancer"—there’s really no reason to worry. The imaging results came back completely normal.

x said:Is HIV a possibility? I had a risky encounter with a foreign national a few months back.

Based on the lab results you posted, I can't confirm or rule out an HIV infection as the cause of your symptoms. A standard CBC just doesn't provide enough information to answer that question. The only way to get a definitive answer would be through specific HIV testing.

Typically, an acute HIV infection presents with lymphopenia, though you'll usually see leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and occasionally anemia as well—none of which apply to your case. It’s also worth noting that these tests were taken very shortly after your symptoms first appeared. Results like these are often uninformative because blood counts frequently don't have enough time to shift significantly in such a short window. Furthermore, it isn't entirely clear why a brief fever of 102.2°F—which isn't even considered a high fever, as we generally look for anything north of 104°F—warranted an emergency room visit.

What you’ve described could just be symptoms of a harmless viral infection.

When it comes to HIV, testing is the only answer. Nothing else matters.

Michelle Bennett52 said:I could use some help interpreting these lab results.
A friend of mine had this lump on the inside of her upper arm. She was already making plans to have it surgically removed.
She went in for an ultrasound yesterday. The radiologist didn't mince words—immediately flagged a suspicion of sarcoma. She was sent for an urgent biopsy right away.
The biopsy results are in:
Dimensions: 50x30x30mm.
The biopsy results show a gelatinous consistency.
The puncture biopsies revealed scattered cells featuring round or oval nuclei and well-organized chromatin structures. The cytoplasm appeared moderately abundant and spindle-shaped. Also noted were phagocytes, significant amounts of myxoid extracellular matrix, and red blood cells.
We’re heading to the plastic surgeon for a biopsy in just a few days.
That lesion has been there for a few years now; it’s been growing steadily.

Based on what’s written here—though I'm wondering if this is the complete report or if something was left out—these biopsy results don't definitively point toward malignancy. However, if there's clinical suspicion, the entire lesion needs to be removed and sent for a full pathology analysis. That’s the only way to get a reliable final verdict on what we're actually dealing with.

boldnomad45 said:I got my nasopharyngeal swab results back, and it says "Culture showed no growth."
Does that mean the results are fine? I haven't seen that wording before, so I'm not entirely sure.🤔

To use your own terminology, the result is OK.

Kimberly Thompson56 said:Hello. I'd appreciate your thoughts on these lab results.

First off, where you had your ANA and ENA tested matters immensely. For cases like this, the Mayo Clinic is certainly your best bet; their results are the gold standard and highly reliable.

Cleveland Clinic

nimbleotter8 said:Saw a specialist today. Got an antibiotic prescription and orders for some blood work and a urinalysis.
I've already picked up the antibiotics and started the course, but I can't get my bloodwork done for another two or three days due to waiting on the referral paperwork. Does taking antibiotics mess with the test results?

It will.

Kimberly Thompson56 said:Cleveland Clinic

In my opinion—and I know many of my colleagues feel the same way—you can't exactly bank on the immunology lab over there. They aren't reliable. On the flip side? The rheumatologists and immunologists are top-tier.

If I end up seeing results like this again, could you please let me know if those low numbers are actually something we need to worry about?

Kimberly Thompson56 said:If these results were to repeat, could you please tell me if such low values should be taken into account?

Negative values aren't factored in, and often, even low titers are disregarded depending on the suspected condition.

Nowadays, we generally assume there is no systemic lupus erythematosus diagnosis without a positive ANA.

As for what the future holds, it's largely uncertain; one cannot predict the course of any rheumatic disease with absolute certainty.

Looking at the list of symptoms provided, it appears you may have oligoarthritis (?) and possibly Raynaud phenomenon/syndrome, which warrants more detailed investigation.

What is the sedimentation rate? Have you had any radiological imaging done on those joints (X-rays, ultrasound), and what were the findings?

Regarding the changes in your hands (fingertips)—do they worsen when exposed to cold, or during periods of emotional distress or stress?

Nicholas Myers, since you're hanging around anyway, what's the deal with this ANA result?

result: speckled

Unit: titer

Ref.range: <1:100?

The lab work was done at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

shadowwalker11 said:Felix, since you're here, what does an ANA result mean?

Result: speckled

Unit: titer

Ref. range: <1:100?

The testing was done at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Essentially, this means those antibodies are present, but at a low titer. In most cases, such a finding carries no clinical significance. It’s common to see this in healthy individuals—particularly older adults—or as a side effect of certain medications.

What prompted the test?

Liver and spleen are both enlarged. The only things out of whack are low ceruloplasmin and copper in the blood, plus low iron and ferritin. Just waiting on the Gaucher results now and an appointment for a new liver biopsy—the first one showed mononuclear infiltrate in the portal areas.

shadowwalker11 said:Enlarged liver and spleen. The only outliers are low ceruloplasmin, low blood copper, iron, and ferritin. Currently waiting on Gaucher results and an appointment for a follow-up liver biopsy; the first one showed mononuclear infiltration in the portal areas.

Hello,

In this instance, the situation is somewhat more nuanced. Specifically, the ANA was tested to either confirm or rule out autoimmune hepatitis. Mononuclear infiltration in the portal areas can be indicative of autoimmune hepatitis, particularly if it presents as lymphoplasmacytic infiltration. Even a titer lower than 1:100 could be significant here, though we typically see 1:160 or higher. Depending on your doctor's clinical judgment, they might request the lab to re-test even such a low titer.