NRBC High

[kk179]

I'm new here ... forgive my ignorance.  I'll give you the cliff note version of what's going on with me...

I was scheduled for L3-L4 discectomy / decompression and as a result of my pre-op testing and blood work.  I was called by my surgeons office who indicated that i have a "Suspicious R-Wave" in my EKG and referred me to my family doctor.  Upon meeting with my family doctor, she indicated that the EKG "is no worries at all"  however it was learned that my Nucleated Red Blood Count was at 16.4%.  I asked her what the NRBC should be and she said "as an adult, I shouldn't have ANY"  She sent me for additional blood tests ... that's where I'm at now.  She is unwilling / unable to answer any questions I have.

As a result of not getting info from my doc, I came home and "Googled" Nucleated Red Blood Cells and found that most of the topics indicate that I've got enemia or lukemia...let me rewind for a second - while at the doctors office, she indicated that it is NOT enemia because my total red blood count is fine ... which leads me to lukemia ?!?!?!?!

I'm a 35 year old relatively fit male, not that this means much of anything becuase I know that illness will attack regardless...sorry - got lost for a minute in emotion.

I guess my question is ... is leukemia the only response to having nucleated red blood cells ???  I'm having a real hard time finding answers on line because most of the topics i find are "among new borns" or "among critically ill." .. none for the 35 year old relatively healthy, fit male....note:  I'm white, so it's not sickle cell which is another topic i found a bunch of information on.

Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give ...

[Dennis MD]

Hi.
Nucleated RBCs are immature RBCs.  This is a reflection of increased RBC turnover from the bone marrow to the peripheral circulation, probably as a result of increased RBC destruction in the peripheral circulation.
If this is an incidental finding, the result should be correlated clinically.
Perhaps what you should do is to get a third opinion from a hematologist.
Good luck.

[kk179]

Just an update.  I got a call this morning from my doc who indicated that the repeat CBC indicated NO nucleated red blood cells.  She indicated that my white count was a bit high and so was another count (I forget what she said it was)  She indicated that she "hates to speak ill of people, but maybe they just were inexperienced in how to read the results or there was another type of error."  She further indicated that my WBC was high, however "just to the level that I've been exposed to someone who was ill or as if (I) had sinus'"

Should I be suspicious of this and get another opinion or just go on believing that I'm healthy because one of the two was wrong ....

Thanks!