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Helper/Suppressor Natural Killer Cells Test Results

ttt

Senior Member
Messages
101
Location
Santa Monica, CA
I just got the results of my Helper/Suppressor/Natural Killer Cells test, and I don't know how to interpret them. Does anyone understand this? I got it done at LabCorp. Here are my results:

% NK (CD56/16) 6.6% (1.4-19.4)
Ab NK (CD56/16) 86/uL (24-406)
Absolute CD 3 1075/uL (622/2402)
Absolute CD 4 Helper 673/uL (359-1519)
Abs. CD 8 Suppressor 369/uL (109-897)
% CD 3 Pos. Lymph 82.7% (57.5-86.2)
% CD 4 Pos. Lymph 51.8% (30.8-58.5)
% CD 8 Pos. Lymph 28.4% (12.0-35.5)
CD4/CD8 Ratio 1.82 (0.92-3.72)

I appreciate any help anyone can offer. Thanx!
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I just got the results of my Helper/Suppressor/Natural Killer Cells test, and I don't know how to interpret them. Does anyone understand this? I got it done at LabCorp. Here are my results:

% NK (CD56/16) 6.6% (1.4-19.4)
Ab NK (CD56/16) 86/uL (24-406)
Absolute CD 3 1075/uL (622/2402)
Absolute CD 4 Helper 673/uL (359-1519)
Abs. CD 8 Suppressor 369/uL (109-897)
% CD 3 Pos. Lymph 82.7% (57.5-86.2)
% CD 4 Pos. Lymph 51.8% (30.8-58.5)
% CD 8 Pos. Lymph 28.4% (12.0-35.5)
CD4/CD8 Ratio 1.82 (0.92-3.72)

I appreciate any help anyone can offer. Thanx!

Everything looks okay there. You're in range on all measures. Some people with ME/CFS have normal NK cell counts like you do, but have low NK cell activity which is not on your list. It's a specialized test only available in a few places. I don't think LabCorp is one of them.
 

ttt

Senior Member
Messages
101
Location
Santa Monica, CA
Thanx so much, SOC. I think maybe I screwed up which test I was supposed to get. I noticed that on the % CD3, 4 and 8, although I'm within range, the numbers are on the higher side. Do you have any idea what that means?
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Thanx so much, SOC. I think maybe I screwed up which test I was supposed to get. I noticed that on the % CD3, 4 and 8, although I'm within range, the numbers are on the higher side. Do you have any idea what that means?

It might be that you are successfully (theoretically) fighting off an mild (theoretically) infection, so your lymphocytes are on the high side of normal.

The NK cell activity (or function) test is not common. The only places I've heard of (so far) in the US doing it are the Immunology Lab at University of Miami and Mayo (?).

For comparison, here's my data on the same measures you have:
%NK: 11 (5-16) Higher end of normal is not typical for PWME, but there I am. :)
Abs NK: 172 (98-294)
Abs CD3: 1091 (989-1899)
Abs CD4: 951 (595-1199)
Abs CD8: 150 (219-731) LOW
%CD3: 70.4 (66-80)
%CD4: 61.4 (38-53) HIGH
%CD8: 9.7 (15-32) LOW

I actually have high NK cell activity, too, which is not typical for ME/CFS. It might be due to immune modulators that I've taken over the years. Or not. Who knows with this illness? :rolleyes: