High white blood cells and platelets

Many diseases require blood tests, and white blood cells and platelets are two important examination items. White blood cells belong to the immune system and can fight bacteria and germs, while platelets can prevent bleeding and repair blood vessels. If both are beyond the normal range, then the patient needs to pay attention, as there may be something wrong with the body and the patient should go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment in time.

What does high white blood cell count mean?

During the examination, the white blood cell count was found to be high, which was a sign of health problems. Under normal circumstances, the white blood cell count in an adult's urine is around 4000-10000/μL. The normal white blood cell count for infants and young children is 15000-20000/μL, and the white blood cell count for children is 11000-12000/μL. Only within this range is it considered normal.

The phenomenon of too high white blood cells in a person's urine mostly occurs in patients with kidney disease, which means that their protein will be lost to the body through urine. This is because the patient's renal basement membrane has been damaged and the filtration function of the glomerulus has changed. For this disease, patients must receive timely treatment, otherwise they may experience more discomfort and their kidney function may be further damaged.

In the health check-up program, each examination has its own significance and can help everyone better understand their physical condition. The high level of white blood cells in urine deserves the attention of each of us. In order to avoid more serious consequences, friends whose test results show abnormal white blood cell count must follow the doctor's advice, find the cause and actively seek treatment.

What are the causes of high white blood cell count?

A urine test result showing high white blood cell count is definitely not a good thing, as it may be a sign of some disease. So what causes high white blood cell count? The editor will explain them to you one by one.

1. Suffering from glomerulitis

When a person suffers from glomerulonephritis, the white blood cells in the urine will change, so after getting the test results, everyone must pay attention.

2. Kidney disease

If you suffer from pyelonephritis, pyonephrosis, or renal abscess, the white blood cell count in your urine will also become high. If you have not been diagnosed yet, you should undergo further examination.

3. Urinary tract diseases

Urinary diseases such as urethritis, urethral stones, and prostatitis are also the main causes of high white blood cell counts. After the onset of the disease, patients usually have obvious discomfort symptoms. If they want the symptoms to disappear as soon as possible, they need to receive drug treatment.

4. Bladder disease

If inflammation occurs in the ureter, bladder or other parts of the body, the white blood cells in the urine will also be abnormal. In addition, for patients with diseases such as stones, tuberculosis, and tumors, the examination results will show that the white blood cell count is high.

High platelets

The phenomenon of significantly high platelet count may be considered as essential thrombocythemia. Essential thrombocythemia is a myeloproliferative disease of unknown cause, which mostly occurs in middle-aged and elderly people over 40 years old, especially those aged 50 to 60 years old.

If the platelet count remains high, you need to go to the hematology department for examination to confirm the condition.

Generally speaking, patients with essential thrombocythemia will have a history of bleeding or (and) thrombosis in multiple sites. A routine blood test will show a platelet count greater than 1000×109/L, a white blood cell count less than 30×109/L, normal or decreased hemoglobin, but no increase in the red blood cell count. Some patients may also experience splenomegaly, bone marrow hyperplasia, etc.

If thrombocytosis is detected during the physical examination and is accompanied by the above symptoms, you should go to the hematology department for a bone marrow puncture to confirm the diagnosis. Bone marrow puncture can identify unexplained increases or decreases in the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, as well as morphological abnormalities.

The dangers of high platelet count

About 20% of patients, especially young patients, are asymptomatic at the onset of the disease and are occasionally diagnosed through further examination due to thrombocytosis and splenomegaly. One-third of patients present with functional or vasomotor symptoms including vascular headache, dizziness, blurred vision, burning pain in the palms and soles, and numbness of the extremities. 80% of patients may seek medical attention due to unexplained bleeding and thrombosis. Bleeding is often spontaneous and may recur. Gastrointestinal bleeding is common, but there may also be nasal and gingival bleeding, hematuria, respiratory bleeding, and skin and mucous membrane ecchymosis, but purpura is rare. Sometimes it is discovered because of persistent bleeding after surgery. Occasionally, cerebral hemorrhage may occur, leading to death. The incidence of thrombosis is less than that of bleeding.

Essential thrombocythemia is not common in daily life. Many patients find that their platelet counts are elevated during examinations, but they are unable to detect the disease in time.

How high does the platelet count need to be to diagnose thrombocythemia?

When patients with thrombocythemia undergo laboratory tests, increased platelets are the most prominent manifestation. Clinical data statistics show that the normal platelet parameter values ​​are (100-300)×109/L. The diagnosis of thrombocythemia is as follows:

1. The platelet count of essential thrombocythemia is above 600×109/L, often greater than 1000×109/L, and can reach more than 10000×109/L;

2. In secondary thrombocythemia, the platelet count is usually in the range of 400 to 1000×109/L, and it is rare to exceed 1000×109/L;

Thrombocythemia often causes repeated bleeding, so it is also called hemorrhagic thrombocythemia. It is more common in people over 40 years old. Clinically, thrombocythemia can be divided into two categories: primary thrombocythemia and secondary thrombocythemia.

Sometimes the platelet count alone cannot completely distinguish the type of platelets, and Western medicine clinicians often recommend other tests, such as bone marrow puncture, etc. Treatment for thrombocythemia mostly involves chemotherapy drugs, which can control the disease, but patients need to take medication for life. Traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment of thrombocythemia emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment. In treatment, it can provide dialectical treatment based on the patient's specific condition and specific analysis, and can also achieve significant therapeutic effects.