“Bandemia” without leukocytosis: A potential Emergency Department diagnostic pitfall

Emergency physicians routinely employ leukocyte counts as a risk stratification tool in a variety of clinical presentations. While a leukocyte count within the normal reference range is widely acknowledged as unreliable, it is nonetheless commonly interpreted as reassuring in a patient not otherwise suspected of harboring severe and acute illness. However, recent data has drawn renewed attention to immature neutrophils ( “bands”) as a reliable predictor of acuity, even in the presence of a normal leukocyte count.
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Source Type: research