The Basos blood test is typically part of a complete blood count. This panel is ordered when there may be unusual symptoms occurring that remain unexplained. Basophils are a type of white blood cell, called a leukocyte, that has course granules that will stain when exposed to a basic dye. Basophils are usually less than 1% of the total white blood cell count that someone has, but their numbers may increase or decrease when specific diseases are present.
Basophils get their name from the combination of two Greek words. Baso means “foundation” and phil means “to love.” In other words, even though these while blood cells are the most rare, they are the foundation that your body loves to build upon to fight off inflammation and disease.
The Basos blood test will measure the absolute basophil count that is present within your blood. It will also calculate what the specific basophils percentage is compared to the rest of the white blood cells are present. Based on the count and calculation, a diagnosis may be determined.
What Is Determined From a Basos Blood Test?
There are three fairly common results that can be determined by an abnormal result from a Basos blood test.
1. Food allergies.If you have eaten a particular food that has caused a skin rash, hives, or swelling to occur, then the Basos blood test will typically come back as abnormal.
2. Inflammation. If there is some form of excessive inflammation within the body, then this may also cause an abnormal panel to come back as a result. The most common reason for this is rheumatoid arthritis, but ulcerative colitis may also cause a similar finding.
3. Leukemia. The presence of several cancer variations of leukemia may also cause an abnormal result.
It is important to note that having an abnormal result in the Basos blood test is generally considered to not be medically significant. Only in specific situations will this blood test be used as a determining factor to diagnose a medical issue that may be occurring. Low results are considered to be less medically significant than high results.
What Can Be Expected From an Abnormal Result?
If the Basos blood test comes back with an abnormal result that concerns your doctor, then further tests may be ordered to pin down the specific issue that you may be facing. If there isn’t a history of food allergies and inflammation can be ruled out, then a bone marrow biopsy and exam may become necessary to determine if a serious condition, such as lymphoma, may be present. Other tests may also be required to determine a specific diagnosis.
Most results are going to be high. It is possible to have zero basophils in a normal blood test, especially if allergies are present, so doctors are looking for percentages that are generally above 2%. Low or zero results may also be achieved when hyperthyroidism is present, if a woman may be pregnant without realizing it, or even caused by high levels of stress.
Although serious medical issues may be present with an abnormally high result, a parasitic infection is typically the cause behind results that are too high.
If inflammation is suspected as the cause of an abnormal Basos test, then further screenings for viruses or bacteria will typically be ordered to determine if an infection has caused the issue. A strep test is a common example of this as the throat swabs only find one or two common strains of strep. A strep infection caused by an animal strain, for example, will require further testing than the fast test options at your doctor’s office.
If your spleen has been removed or injured, high basophil levels may also be present. Increased estrogen levels may also cause an abnormal blood test. Having a recent corticosteroid injection may also affect your blood test results.
Can Anything Be Done To Change the Results of the Test?
The Basos blood test requires no advance preparation. You will not be asked to fast or change your medications to have this test administered. That’s because this test is a measurement of your cell populations. Unlike electrolyte or cholesterol levels, the results cannot be altered unless there is a deficiency that is causing the issue at hand.
By knowing what the results of the Basos blood test mean, you’ll be able to interpret the results with your doctor and make an informed decision about your health. Use this information to plan any specific questions you may need to ask your doctor and then plan a course of treatment accordingly.