For a brief introduction and guide to abbreviations, see Laboratory Tests: General Remarks.
White blood cell (WBC) count, total
Reference range, target level, or decision threshold
4000-10,000/microL (4-10 Giga/L)
Interpretation of results
When analyzing total WBC count, consider changes in WBC subtypes:
↑ Increased WBC subtype count (see Neutrophils or Lymphocytes) or presence of abnormal cells (immature neutrophils [left shift], leukemic cells, lymphoma cells)
↓ Decreased counts of the largest WBC subtypes: neutrophils (see Neutrophils) or lymphocytes (see Lymphocytes)