What is the diagnosis for a patient with leukocytosis (elevated white blood cell count), erythrocytosis (elevated red blood cell count), hyperhemoglobinemia (elevated hemoglobin), and elevated hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)?

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From the Guidelines

The patient's blood test results indicate a possible chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP), given the elevated white blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels, although the second test shows normalization of some parameters, and the absolute lymphocyte count remains elevated, suggesting the need for further monitoring and potentially a bone marrow biopsy for definitive diagnosis, as recommended by the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) guidelines 1.

The blood test results show several abnormal values, including an elevated white blood cell count (WBC) of 11.4 x10^3/μL in the first test, which normalized to 9.6 x10^3/μL in the second test. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were both high in the first test (16.7 g/dL and 49.4% respectively) but returned to normal ranges in the second test. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were slightly elevated in the first test, indicating slightly larger red blood cells with more hemoglobin content.

Key findings include:

  • Elevated absolute lymphocyte count in both tests (4.6 and 3.9 x10^3/μL), which could suggest an ongoing viral infection, chronic inflammation, or certain lymphoproliferative disorders, and warrants further investigation 1.
  • Presence of immature granulocytes in the first test (1%) that disappeared in the second test, which may indicate that the body was responding to an infection that has since improved.
  • The patient's red blood cell count, platelet count, and other parameters are within normal limits or have normalized in the second test.

According to the ELN guidelines, a diagnosis of CML in CP is considered when there are less than 15% blasts in the blood and bone marrow, and the patient presents with splenomegaly, fatigue, weight loss, and other symptoms related to anemia and leukocytosis 1.

Given the patient's laboratory results and the ELN guidelines, a bone marrow biopsy and further testing, such as flow cytometry and molecular analysis, are necessary to confirm the diagnosis of CML and to rule out other potential causes of the patient's symptoms and abnormal laboratory results 1.

From the Research

Blood Test Results

The provided blood test results show various parameters, including:

  • White Blood Cell (WBC) count: 11.4 and 9.6 x10E3/uL, which is within the normal range of 3.4-10.8 x10E3/uL 2
  • Red Blood Cell (RBC) count: 5.05 and 4.28 x10E6/uL, which is within the normal range of 3.77-5.28 x10E6/uL
  • Hemoglobin: 16.7 and 14.0 g/dL, with 16.7 being higher than the normal range of 11.1-15.9 g/dL
  • Hematocrit: 49.4 and 41.5 %, with 49.4 being higher than the normal range of 34.0-46.6 %
  • Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): 98 and 97 fL, with 98 being higher than the normal range of 79-97 fL
  • Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH): 33.1 and 32.7 pg, with 33.1 being higher than the normal range of 26.6-33.0 pg
  • Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC): 33.8 and 33.7 g/dL, which is within the normal range of 31.5-35.7 g/dL
  • Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW): 12.5 and 12.1 %, which is within the normal range of 11.7-15.4 %
  • Platelets: 377 and 318 x10E3/uL, which is within the normal range of 150-450 x10E3/uL
  • Neutrophils: 49 and 49 %, with no established normal range
  • Lymphs: 40 and 41 %, with no established normal range
  • Monocytes: 6 and 6 %, with no established normal range
  • Eos: 3 and 3 %, with no established normal range
  • Basos: 1 and 1 %, with no established normal range

Abnormal Results

The abnormal results include:

  • Hemoglobin: 16.7 g/dL, which is higher than the normal range of 11.1-15.9 g/dL
  • Hematocrit: 49.4 %, which is higher than the normal range of 34.0-46.6 %
  • MCV: 98 fL, which is higher than the normal range of 79-97 fL
  • MCH: 33.1 pg, which is higher than the normal range of 26.6-33.0 pg
  • Lymphs (Absolute): 4.6 x10E3/uL, which is higher than the normal range of 0.7-3.1 x10E3/uL
  • Lymphs (Absolute): 3.9 x10E3/uL, which is higher than the normal range of 0.7-3.1 x10E3/uL

Relevant Studies

The study by 2 discusses the complete blood count and its components, including the red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and white blood cell count and differential. This study provides information on the physiologic basis and clinical usage of the complete blood count, which can be helpful in understanding the results of the provided blood test. However, the study by 3 is not directly relevant to the provided blood test results, as it discusses the CO-binding kinetics of cytochrome a3 in isolated, detergent-solubilized cytochrome oxidase.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

The complete blood count: physiologic basis and clinical usage.

The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 1997

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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