The ''Arneth count'' or ''Arneth index'' describes the
nucleus
Nucleus ( : nuclei) is a Latin word for the seed inside a fruit. It most often refers to:
*Atomic nucleus, the very dense central region of an atom
*Cell nucleus, a central organelle of a eukaryotic cell, containing most of the cell's DNA
Nucle ...
of a type of
white blood cell
White blood cells, also called leukocytes or leucocytes, are the cell (biology), cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. All white blood cells are produced and de ...
called a
neutrophil in an attempt to detect disease.
Neutrophils
Neutrophils (also known as neutrocytes or heterophils) are the most abundant type of granulocytes and make up 40% to 70% of all white blood cells in humans. They form an essential part of the innate immune system, with their functions varying in ...
typically have two or three lobes. In general, older neutrophils have more lobes than younger neutrophils. The Arneth count determines the percentage of neutrophils with one, two, three, four, and five or more lobes.
* Individuals who have a larger percentage of neutrophils with fewer lobes have a ''left shift'' which can be indicative of disease processes such as
infection, malignant tumors, hemolytic crises, myocardial infarction, acidosis, etc.
* Individuals with a larger percentage of neutrophils with more lobes have a ''right shift'' and most commonly have diseases such as
vitamin B12 or
folate deficiency, chronic uremia, liver disease, etc.
The Arneth count is not commonly used in modern medicine.
It is named for
Josef Arneth
Josef Arneth (13 October 1873, in Burgkunstadt – 1955) was a German physician and haematologist
Hematology ( always spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatm ...
.
[J. Arneth: ''Die neutrophilen weissen Blutkärperchen bei Infektions-Krankheiten.'' Habilitation paper, Jena 1903]
References
{{Abnormal clinical and laboratory findings for blood
Blood tests