accuracy of CBC lab equipment--very confused

From: Becca- rwalker@geo.arizona.edu
Date: 1/2/2004
Time: 3:53:54 PM
Remote Name: 172.201.86.222

Comments

Happy 2004! Sorry for this long post, but I'm confused.

I spent yesterday in the emergency room (nothing super serious, but ultimately I was transfused.) I had a CBC done at my hematologist's office on12/31 (morning). Results: platelets 23K, whites 1.74, hematocrit 25.3 The results of the CBC at the hospital on 1/1 (evening): platelets 25K, whites 9.8, hematocrit 26.

I can kind of explain the whites because I had Neulasta on 12/31. (However, the biggest bump I've had from Neulasta was 1.4 to 8, and that took a week.) It's harder for me to explain the hematocrit because if anything, I was more hydrated on 1/1 than 12/31. But I can't justify the platelet count at all. Since all of this began at the end of October, my platelets have never done anything but drop, typically 10K-20K per day depending on time since my last transfusion.

I don't want to get my hopes up and am trying my best to just attribute these lab values to differences in machines, but it seems ridiculous for mechanical error to exceed 10%! Let's say that both machines have a margin of error of 2K platelets. Worst case scenario, that means that on 12/31 my platelets were actually 25K and on 1/1 they were actually 23K.....still not anywhere near what I've ever dropped in the past.

Is there anyone who could provide about the relative accuracy of lab equipment? Thanks!