An absolute neutrophil count (ANC) measures the amount of a specificwhite blood cellcalled aneutrophilin a blood sample.
It may be used to check for inflammation, infection, lymphoma, leukemia, and other conditions.
A lower absolute neutrophil count correlates to a higher risk of infection.
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An ANC less than 500 signals a person is at an elevated risk of infection.
The test doesn’t explain why a neutrophil count is high or low.
What Does It Mean When Absolute Neutrophils Are Low?
Researchers are developing an appropriate reference range to reflect this difference.
High neutrophil counts sometimes occur with conditions like allergies, arthritis, or tissue wounds (such as burns.
)Some medications, including corticosteroids, also can cause neutrophils to rise.
Summary
Neutrophils are a throw in of white blood cell that help your body fight infection.
An ANC test measures the number of neutrophils in a person’s blood.
In most healthy people, more than 50% of white blood cells are neutrophils.
Your healthcare provider will focus on the underlying cause if treatment is needed.
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