Medical terminology confusion

[Steve_B]

Hi All

Just got our family medicals back with 'no significant findings' on all four of us. Great news, I think.

Seems to be just a couple of readings with the dreaded asterisk next to them. For me, the NEUT reading was 7.54 with the 'normal reading showing that it should be below 7.50. For the rest of the family they all had an Albumin reading in excess of the upper figure of 50 being 54, 53 and 56 respectively. Anything to worry about with any of these readings?

The list on our blood tests include the following which I noted as being different to other reports posted here on ENZ. Any experts able to define what each refers to?

HB
MCV
WBC
PLT
RBC
HCT
MCH
MCHC
NEUT
LYMPH
MONO
EOS
BASO

Creatinine
Albumin
Bilirubin
Alk Phosphatase
Alanine AT
Gamma GT
Aspartate AT
eGFR

I expected some sort of 'Congratulations, you've passed!' letter with the results but, alas, no letter of any description. So I'm left to check that we really have passed before breaking the news to the rest of the family before they get home.....Can anyone confirm that it looks promising?

Steve

[Duncan74]

I think the 'rule' is one midly abnormal reading per person is fine. Regarding all the others then really it's not a lot of use knowing the term as without an understanding of what that indicates in conjunction with the other readings then it's going to add to stress, not reduce it.

[sophiedb]

"No significant findings" sounds fab to me!

(I was an abnormal one)

[K&R]

The first lot are to do with your red and white blood cells. The second lot are related to your kidney and liver function. As Duncan says, there is nothing you will be able to glean from the results yourself. They have to be interpreted by a biochemist and a haematologist.

[JandM]

The medicals aren't primarily for your benefit, so I wouldn't expect them to give you any health pointers - they're intended to tell NZ immigration that they do or don't see anything in the way of you being accepted (in the shape of some condition that might cost the health service over there just after you arrive). In that context, 'no significant findings' sound like very good news.

[KatieBen]

Hi All
Seems to be just a couple of readings with the dreaded asterisk next to them. For me, the NEUT reading was 7.54 with the 'normal reading showing that it should be below 7.50. For the rest of the family they all had an Albumin reading in excess of the upper figure of 50 being 54, 53 and 56 respectively. Anything to worry about with any of these readings?

Absolutely not.

HB
MCV
WBC
PLT
RBC
HCT
MCH
MCHC
NEUT
LYMPH
MONO
EOS
BASO

Creatinine
Albumin
Bilirubin
Alk Phosphatase
Alanine AT
Gamma GT
Aspartate AT
eGFR

For what it's worth:

Hb - Haemoglobin
MCV - Mean Cell Volume (refers to red cells, is high in some vitamin deficiencies and alcoholics, low in iron deficiency)
WBC - White Blood Count (high in infections most commonly, low in the immunosuppressed)
PLT - platelet count (part of the clotting mechanism)
RBC - Red Blood Count (red cells - don't know anyone who uses this!)
HCT - Haematocrit (should be > 30%, again relates to red cell amount)
MCH - Mean Cell Haemoglobin ) can be low in iron
MCHC - Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration ) deficiency
NEUT / LYMPH / MONO / EOS / BASO - differential count of all white cells (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monophils, eosinophils and basophils) - can have one cell type raised in some diseases. Neutrophils are commonly high in infections, eosinophils in allergic / atopic people etc.

Creatinine - protein that is not metabolised and is completely cleared by the kidney; plasma creatinine levels are therefore a measure of kidney function
Albumin - protein made by the liver; marker of liver synthetic function and nutrition
Bilirubin - product of red cell breakdown, metabolised by liver (marker of liver function to some extent)
Alk Phosphatase - enzyme found in liver; high levels can indicate liver cell damage (as should normally be within liver cells not free in bloodstream) - however also found in other places including bone so not liver specific
Alanine Aminotransferase ) other enzymes found within liver cells; high levels
Gamma GT ) can indicate liver cell damage as above. Not a
Aspartate AT ) good marker of liver function though.

eGFR - estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, or how well the kidney works as a filter. This number goes down in chronic kidney disease but should be over 90ml/min. It's calculated based on creatinine levels and is a better estimate of kidney function than creatinine alone (in that a creatinine in the normal range may be seriously high for a 40kg 80y lady while a creatinine above the normal range may be normal for a 120kg 6foot6 body builder).

Not sure if that helps any! (oh and you don't have to be a biochemist or haematologist to interpret them, any doctor should be able to!)

[JandM]

Thanks for this helpful post, and sorry, but the system won't let me rep you.

[tea drinker]

I tried to but I have to spread it around a bit first

[Silverwing86]

I tried to but I have to spread it around a bit first

I was able to .

Although I'm already far beyond the dreaded medicals, it's still nice to know what all these terms stand for and I'm sure it will be helpful for many still in the process. Thanx for the great post !

Cheers,
Silver

[Steve_B]

Thanks all...particularly KatieBen (is that Katie or Ben who has deciphered the codes?) I think it's a human trait to believe that some undiscovered medical condition exists that's going to abruptly end the dream so getting these things clarified is a huge relief....thank you!


Hopefully the list written by KatieBen can be easily found for future reference.


Steve