eosinophil - cause for concern

[Damacian]

hI

I will contact my GP but as a I have been advised that my mild asthma has returned, I had a CBC

and got the following eosinophil count - observation 0.9 10*9/l [0.0 - 0.4] is this typical for an asthmatic? does it mean EA?

How much of a cause for concern should this be as I am anxious? I have not taken any inhalers yet as waiting for presciption...

This is above reference range but WBC is normal.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

That is pretty high as the numbers considered eosinophilic in asthma are lower than what general lab ranges count as high. Not necessarily a terrible thing on its own but useful information about your asthma to guide treatment - eg that you're likely to respond to steroids.

I think there's a perception that eosinophilic asthma is always more severe. It isn't necessarily, not everyone with severe asthma has eosinophilic and vice versa. It's just that many people don't get the testing until they're severe enough for targeted drugs to be considered. So it's often only people with severe asthma who know what type of asthma they have.

The criteria for these treatments still require you to have severe asthma that isn't controlled by other treatments and that doesn't sound like you currently. However you do need, as anyone would with or without this eosinophil level, to treat your asthma appropriately.

Might be worth calling the asthma nurse helpline on Monday and chatting it through with them re what to discuss with your GP: 0300 2225800 or WhatsApp on 07999 377 775 Monday-Friday 0915-5pm