Complete Blood Count (CBC): Understanding Your Health Through Blood Analysis

A complete blood count or CBC is a test which gives crucial information about blood cell types, which includes-RBC, WBC & platelets and associated parameters. 

Who should undergo complete blood count (CBC) tests?

Those who has symptoms like feeling more tired than usual, fatigue, giddiness fever, rashes, bleeding manifestations etc.
CBC will give basic idea about. 
-Anaemia-types of anaemia 
-Polycythaemia 
-Immune cells are within normal limit or not-Leucocytosis/ leucopenia 
-Any bleeding risk/clot formation due to quantitative or qualitative defect in platelets-Thrombocytosis/thrombocytopenia

What are the functions of individual components in complete blood count (CBC) tests?

Red blood cells –Carry oxygen to different parts of the body.
White blood cells – Fight against infections.
Platelets – Helps formation of clot.
A complete blood count measures the increase or decrease in each type of cells in your blood.

What are the parameters available in complete blood count (CBC) test?

Usually, complete blood count test consists of multiple parameters which can be classified into RBC parameters, WBC parameters and platelet parameters. RBC parameters comprises of RBC count (Red Blood cell count), Hb (Haemoglobin), and HCT (haematocrit).

RBC indices comprises of MCV (Mean corpuscular volume), MCH (mean corpuscular haemoglobin), MCHC (mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) and RDW (red cell distribution width).

By looking into these physicians can identify or will get a clue whether your above-mentioned parameters are within normal range or not. The presence of anaemia or polycythaemia can also be identified. If there is anaemia, hint to the type of anaemia can also be investigated. 

White blood cell (WBC) parameters include total WBC count, absolute WBC count and the WBC differential. 
Total WBC count- 4000-10000 cell/cumm is the normal WBC count in a healthy adult. A decrease in count is called leucopenia & increase in count is called leucocytosis. 

WBC differential— Automated machines identifies different WBC subsets, such as -neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes and basophils. 
Neutrophils are the predominant cells in normal adults. By looking into the percentage of each cell type clinician will get a clue  

Absolute WBC countis the number of WBCs per microlitre of blood. Neutrophils are the predominant cells in normal adults. The percentage of each cell type will give a hint to the disease.  

Platelet parameters includes platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV)-Platelet countis the number of platelets per microlitre of blood. Normal platelet count in adult is 1.5- 4.1 lakhs/cumm. A decreased platelet count is called thrombocytopenia, and an elevated platelet count is called thrombocytosis.

Overall getting a complete blood count can give you an idea about your general health to a certain extent.

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