What Does The Following Blood Test Results Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 12 Jan 2015

Question: I had a blood test and wondered what action should be taken as my results are as below :
Iron. *29.0. Umol/L. 6.6-26.0
T.I.B.C *34. umol/L. 41-77
Iron saturation *85%. 20-55
Lymphocyte *25.4% 1.35 x10^9/L. 1.5-4.0
I am a 55 year old female
Should I be concerned? And should any action be taken by my GP?
Thank you for your time,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (50 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
iron overload

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

The increased iron levels, increased saturation and decreased TIBC imply that there may be iron overload which can be related to hemachromatosis.

Hemachromatosis is the build up of iron levels in different parts of the body. It is the most common cause of iron overload.
It is often related to genetic inheritance.

The other causes of iron overload are: (1)repeated blood transfusions
(2)liver disease
(3)excess iron intake
(4)disease called porphyria cutanea tarda

Further tests would include liver function tests to check the liver, possible genetic testing (hematochromatosis), imaging of the abdomen particularly the liver
The genetic testing in hematochromatosis would give an idea of the chance of future iron collection.

Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell (WBC) and this result is normally interpreted with the total WBC and the breakdown of the different types white blood cells (neutrophils, monocytes, basophils etc)

Lymphocytes and other WBC usually increase in response to inflammation or infection in some area of the body.
If the total WBC is normal then your doctor may just repeat the WBC to recheck the lymphocytes.

If there is obvious infection or inflammation then he or she would treat.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (27 minutes later)

I thank you for this you have helped in my investigations....
This blood test was part of a Well Woman screening done by our Private GP in 2006.. Nothing was done about the results and in fact I was given a clean XXXXXXX of health on the doctors report.
After a hysterectomy in 2012 and a requested scan by the gynaecologist on another matter I was found to have a nodule on the liver. Following further investigations by a Liver specialist I was diagnosed with heamatcromatosis.

The ferritin reading was 2,000 and a emergency liver resection was performed in 2013 to remove the nodule.
I have just finished my venesections which have taken a year to compete taking 1 pint of blood a week.
Would you say my GP has been negligent by not picking up and following through the Blood results in 2006?

Thank you for this... The blood test was done in 2006 on a Well woman medical by our family doctor.
It was over looked and not acted upon resulting in a liver resection in September 2013 to remove a nodule and a year of venesections to reduce the ferritin from 2,000 to 41 finishing last Friday!
I shall now take issue with the GP .

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
normally there are further investigations

Detailed Answer:
HI

The above results would normally warrant further investigations to determine the cause.
Normally negligence is determined by the presiding medical council in the region.

I am sorry that there was a delay in your diagnosis and especially sorry for the trauma you would have endured.

Please feel free to ask any other questions

Note: Do you have more questions on diagnosis or treatment of blood disorders? Ask An Expert/ Specialist Now

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar