Differential Diagnosis For High WBC/Left Shift (Lab): Definition

List of current finding(s):

• 

  High WBC/Left Shift (Lab)

• Add Another Finding
• Start Over

• Infectious Disorders (Specific Agent) (44)
• Infected organ, Abscesses (103)
• Neoplastic Disorders (1)
• Congenital, Developmental Disorders (2)
• Arteriosclerotic, Vascular, Venous Disorders (1)
• Drugs (1)
• Definition
• External Links Related to High WBC/Left Shift (Lab)

Definition: next: Infectious Causes

Increased neutrophil count

An increased need for neutrophils, as with an acute bacterial infection, will cause an increase in both the total number of mature neutrophils and the less mature bands or stabs to respond to the infection. The term "shift to the left" is often used when determining if a patient has an inflammatory process such as acute appendicitis or cholecystitis. This term is a holdover from days in which lab reports were written by hand. Bands or stabs, the less mature neutrophil forms, were written first on the left-hand side of the laboratory report. Today, the term "shift to the left" means that the bands or stabs have increased, indicating an infection in progress.

For example, a patient with acute appendicitis might have a "WBC count of 15,000 with 65% of the cells being mature neutrophils and an increase in stabs or band cells to 10%". This report is typical of a "shift to the left", and will be taken into consideration along with history and physical findings, to determine how the patient's appendicitis will be treated.

(Edit)