What can blood tests show?
No single test can prove or disprove that an individual has lupus, but several blood tests can provide helpful clues. • A complete blood count (CBC) can show if anemia is present. A CBC can also provide important information on white blood and platelet counts, kidney and liver function. • A blood differential test counts the different types of white blood cells and measures the percentages of each. This shows if the white blood cells are in proper portion to each other. Reduced levels of two types of white blood cells, lymphocytes and granulocytes, make people with lupus more likely to get infections. A shortage of lymphocytes is known as lymphocytopenia or lymphopenia. A shortage of granulocytes is known as granulocytopenia. • The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or Sed rate) indirectly measures inflammation. An increased Sed rate indicates that inflammation is present in the body, but cannot tell where or why. • Another common test measures the blood level of a group of substances
