Consistently elevated WBC every annual exam

[redhotnail]

Hello. I've consistently had elevated WBC counts on every annual physical exam I've taken for the past 10 years. This year the count is 13.7, and last year was 12.3. The lowest I've had was around 11.5. Should I be worried?

[Ken_PA]

One thing though: high white cell counts can be thought of as markers for inflammation. Even low level chronic inflammation over many years can contribute to problems such as heart disease and cancers.

How are your ESR and hsCRP test results?

[CHIN_C]

Nonmalignant causes of neutrophilia:
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/1201/p1004.html#afp20151201p1004-t3

Sample approach for evaluation of leukocytosis:
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/1201/p1004.html#afp20151201p1004-f5

[Ken_PA]

Well, a leukemia in neutrophils would be rare, as opposed to in lymphocytes. Here are the numbers to look for on your CBC:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajh.24983
"Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL)... for which current WHO diagnostic criteria include leukocytosis [the WBC] of ≥ 25 x 109/L of which ≥ 80% are neutrophils"

So that would be absolute neuts of greater than 20.

Otherwise, if there is not some chronic infection or inflammation, there is such a thing as "chronic idiopathic neutrophilia", which means the cause is unknown -- and "Cigarette smoking and obesity are confirmed as factors associated with CIN and may be causative."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21886049

[Ken_PA]

In other words, I don't think any doctor would be concerned.

[Ken_PA]

Hi, which of the white cells are high, the Lymphocytes?

[redhotnail]

Neutrophils