Old lab tests | Arthritis Information

I finally got a copy of the ER lab results from last Dec. 1. That was the worst day of my life, and I had hoped that the tests would reveal something that the Rheumy hasn't seen.

So, not much abnormal, some things I can't interpret:
GRAN% 87.1 (43-78) high
LYMPH% 9.9 (13-45) Low
Mono% 2.3 (3-11) low

Can anyone make any sense of these?

Mike
Sorry MIke Looks like it is all in your head. BAD JOKE I would leap from the roof, 'cept it's a one story. I refused to be wheeled into or out of the ER. I should have let them move me around. I could use that in the RD office. Now I get to show him a little more proof of what he already thinks. I'm freakin' nutz!

Mike

I know how it feels MIke. I hate it when my rd says "your joints are looking good" when my butt hurts like hell and I am achy all over. I cannot imagine what it would be like to not have any tests to back you up. Maybe that means it will all just go away MIke

Glad it is only one story, maybe just jump up and down Right now I can't get to what I was going to send you a link to...will have to respond tomorrow...but keep in mind what I keep repeating over and over seemingly....(when will docs get it??) labs that are negative for RA do not mean an absence of RA or even say anything about the severity. I've been negative labwise for 21 out of 21 years. I've known others who when they first had problems had negative labs that were eventually normal within less than two years. Then I know another woman who is considered an RA burnout who was negative on her bloodwork for 8 years. Docs who use having negative labs despite other symptoms pointing to RA are for some reason using a line. Or if they are GPs they just don't know better. [urlhttp://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1483&PN=1&TPN=1[/url]

The link is to the post I just made listing some sites on lab tests. That's what I oculdn't get to last night without logging hubby off of the pc and didn't wanna do that.
While normally I'd just leave it at showing you the links....this time I'm looking the three up.

Mono is a test for Espstien-Barr in the blood. Yours is low. I did just read something about RA and the incidence of EBV in the blood...will see if I can find it again.
Now, we're getting to a point where I'm a bit unsure if I'm correct. The mono I'm fairly certain that is the right test abbrev. mono.

What I've figured gran means is Granulocytes. Granulocytes

Granulocytes are white blood cells packed with tiny sacs of chemicals (granules). Granulocytic chemicals play a role in:
- Destroying Microorganisms
- Activating the Inflammatory Response, characterized by swelling, redness, warmth, and pain

Why they did not break the category down I'm not sure.

Granulocytes include:
- Neutrophils
  - Phagocytic as well as granulocytic, neutrophils use granulocytic chemicals to destroy microorganisms which they ingest.
- Eosinophils
  - Eosinophils release granulocytic chemicals into surrounding tissues, to destroy nearby infectious agents.
- Basophils
  - Like eosinophils, basophils release granulocytic chemicals, to destroy nearby microorganisms and stimulate the inflammatory response.

These cells produce:

Antibodies (or Immunoglubulins)-Proteins produced by B cells to interact with and incapacitate and/or eliminate specific foreign invaders
- Antibodies can neutralize infectious agents in one of several ways:
  - Antitoxin Effect-Binding of antibody to a bacterial toxin can inactivate the toxin directly.
  - Opsonization-Microbes coated with antibody are a more attractive target for phagocytic cells such as macrophages
  - Complement Activation-Binding of antibody to an invading microbe can activate the complement cascade (see below), resulting in destruction of the microbe
  - Virus Neutralization-Binding of antibody to a virus can block the virus from entering body cells.
  - Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity-Binding of antibody to cells makes cells susceptible to destruction by cytotoxic (killer) immune cells.
Complement-Proteins which circulate through the bloodstream in an inactive form.
- When the complement cascade is triggered (usually by the presence of antibody-antigen complexes), components of the cascade are successively activated, to:
  - Stimulate Mast Cells and Basophils to release granulocytic chemicals
  - Attract Neutrophils to the area
  - Opsonize Invading Microbes
  - Generate a Membrane Attack Complex, which inserts itself into the wall of the target cell.
    - Punctured by a membrane attack complex, the target cell rapidly swells and bursts.
Cytokines-Chemical messengers produced by cells of the immune system (including T cells, B cells, monocytes, and macrophages).
- Various cytokines perform various functions, such as:
  - Activation of the Immune System Cells
  - Promotion of Cell Growth, meaning maturation, and/or division
  - Attraction of Cells to the site of infection
  - Destruction Infected or Malignant Cells
  - Stimulation of Phagocytic Activity

http://tjsamson.client.web-health.com/web-health/topics/Gene ralHealth/generalhealthsub/generalhealth/immune&allergy/ What_Does_Immune_System_Do.html That is the link to where I found that info. Had to dig a bit deeper than the sites I have listed in my other post. The same page I listed above has the info on Lymph as well.

B Lymphocytes (also known as B Cells)
- B lymphocytes are responsible for producing antibodies, specialized proteins which react against foreign invaders.
T Lymphocytes (or, T Cells), including:
- Helper T cells
  - Helper T cells are responsible for activating and orchestrating the response against an invading organism.
- Cytotoxic (or Killer) T Cells
  - Killer T cells are responsible for destruction of virus-infected or malignant (cancerous) body cells.
- Suppressor T Cells
  - Suppressor T cells are responsible for turning off the immune response after an infection has been cleared.

So basically, the WBCs responsible for inflammation are high but your cells that produce the antibodies against invaders, kill the invaders and suppress the immune response are low.

Hope this is helpful in some way. PM me if you want me to try to help more ok?
wayney

And since that post was long enough...
a link to the article on EBV and other herpes viruses and RA.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/510981

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