Biomarkers · Hematology

Absolute Lymphocyte Count

Both low and high values go with higher risk of death. In NHANES 1999–2018 with linked mortality to 2019, each standard deviation above average goes with 4% lower risk of death. Risk rises at both ends: not comparable

Absolute Lymphocyte Count and risk of death

NHANES, our fit with 95% CIPublished curve

Published curve higher than the NHANES fitNHANES fit higher

Risk of death relative to each curve's own reference value, so the two curves need not cross 1 at the same point. The dotted vertical line marks the NHANES median.

Risk of death per SD (NHANES)0.96×95% CI 0.94–0.98 · 48,954 adults, 7,151 deaths

Published risk of death1.63×lymphopenia (lymphocyte count < 1.1 x 10^9/L) vs reference range (1.1-3.7 x 10^9/L) (95% CI 1.51–1.76) · Copenhagen General Population Study, enrolled 2003-2015, median age 68 years

Value of the measurement+0.010gain in concordance within age bands; rank 36 of 56 · all tests

Absolute Lymphocyte Count by age and sex

Each bar runs from the 5th to the 95th percentile, the darker part from the 25th to the 75th, and the tick is the median. Not a reference range or a target.

The percentiles as a table

Each row is one sex and age band: the values below which 5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 95% of people fall (10^3 cells/uL), from the survey named in the row. Not a reference range or a target.
Sex	Age	5th	25th	Median	75th	95th	n	Cycle / source
All	20-39	1.30	1.90	2.30	2.70	3.60	1,456	NHANES 2017-2018
All	40-59	1.20	1.70	2.10	2.60	3.50	1,582	NHANES 2017-2018
All	60+	1.00	1.50	1.90	2.40	3.30	1,939	NHANES 2017-2018
All	all	1.20	1.70	2.10	2.60	3.50	4,977	NHANES 2017-2018
Men	20-39	1.30	1.80	2.20	2.70	3.40	698	NHANES 2017-2018
Men	40-59	1.20	1.70	2.00	2.50	3.40	740	NHANES 2017-2018
Men	60+	1.00	1.50	1.90	2.30	3.20	981	NHANES 2017-2018
Men	all	1.20	1.70	2.10	2.50	3.40	2,419	NHANES 2017-2018
Women	20-39	1.40	1.90	2.30	2.80	3.70	758	NHANES 2017-2018
Women	40-59	1.20	1.80	2.20	2.70	3.60	842	NHANES 2017-2018
Women	60+	1.00	1.50	1.90	2.40	3.40	958	NHANES 2017-2018
Women	all	1.20	1.70	2.20	2.70	3.60	2,558	NHANES 2017-2018

What studies found when this marker was changed

They describe what happened in those study groups, not a recommendation. See all catalogued interventions.

Measured changes in Absolute Lymphocyte Count, study by study

2 effects with a numeric size, each from one study arm: the dot is the reported change, the line its 95% interval where one was given. Study results in the groups studied, not predictions for a person.

Each row is one study: what was changed, the effect it reported on this marker, and the source.
Type	Intervention	Reported effect	Evidence	Source
pharmacologic	Oral fingolimod 0.5 mg daily for up to 5 years in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (INFORMS)	Mean absolute lymphocyte count falls by about 70% within 2 weeks of starting fingolimod and stays stable for up to 5 years	RCT	Fox EJ, et al. Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation. 2019…
pharmacologic	Oral fingolimod 0.5 mg once daily for 14 days in healthy subjects (placebo-controlled pharmacodynamic trial)	Absolute lymphocyte count fell 62% from baseline after 14 days of fingolimod 0.5 mg (n=24)	RCT	Krösser S, et al. J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;55(9):1051-1060.

What else moves this marker

They describe those study groups, not an individual, and an association is not a cause.

Diseases and conditions

Each row is one study: what it compared and the change it reported in this marker.
What	Effect on the marker	Comparison · population	Source
↓ COVID-19, death · pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count in non-survivors vs survivors	-0.39 10^3 cells/uL (95% CI -0.46 to -0.33)	non-survivors vs survivors, COVID-19 · COVID-19 patients, 31 studies	meta analysis · PMID 33253244
↑ Metabolic syndrome · individuals with vs without MetS	SMD +0.15 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.23)	MetS vs no MetS · Adults with and without metabolic syndrome, 63 studies	meta analysis · PMID 38457562

Genetic predisposition

Each row is one study: what it compared and the change it reported in this marker.
What	Effect on the marker	Comparison · population	Source
↑ CHRNA3 rs1051730 T allele (smoking-intensity variant), current smokers · percent difference in lymphocyte count per T allele in current smokers	+1.34 percent difference per T allele per allele (95% CI 0.66 to 2.02)	per additional T allele, current smokers · White Danes aged 20-100, Copenhagen General Population Study (17,852 current smokers)	mendelian randomization · PMID 30866659

Sources

Risk curve: Warny 2020 (PMID 31932337): all-cause HR 1.63 (1.51-1.76) lymphopenia (lymphocyte count < 1.1 x 10^9/L) vs reference range (1.1-3.7 x 10^9/L). Scaled to US values (NHANES).
Warny et al. Incidental lymphopenia and mortality: a prospective cohort study. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne. 2020;192:E25-E33.
NHANES curve: our Cox model adjusted for age and sex, NHANES 1999–2018 with linked mortality to 2019.

Map Absolute Lymphocyte Count against another biomarker.

Map Absolute Lymphocyte Count against another marker