What the analysis shows
Sputum is material that comes directly from the respiratory tract, so its study provides direct information about the process in the bronchi and lungs. The predominance of neutrophils indicates bacterial inflammation, eosinophils indicate the allergic nature of the process and bronchial asthma, the presence of elastic fibers indicates the destruction of lung tissue, and atypical cells require an oncological search. Sputum is examined separately for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The key point is correct collection: the material is collected in the morning on an empty stomach, after brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth, coughing up sputum, not saliva. A poorly collected sample renders the study meaningless.
Why preparation is so important
The laboratory result is a number, but the correct number can only be obtained if the rules are followed. Eating changes the levels of glucose, lipids and a number of enzymes significantly; physical activity the day before increases CK and AST; smoking affects hormones; time of day is critical for cortisol and testosterone.
Therefore, a “bad analysis” often turns out to be a consequence of impaired preparation, and not an illness, and leads to unnecessary examinations and prescriptions.
General rules for donating blood
- on an empty stomach 8–12 hours, you can drink water
- Eliminate alcohol and intense exercise per day
- no smoking in an hour
- donate blood before physiotherapy, x-rays and massage
- Take medications in advance by agreeing with your doctor
- for hormones in women, take into account the day of the cycle
How to read the result
Reference values depend on the method and equipment of the laboratory, so it is correct to compare results only within the same laboratory. A deviation of a few percent from the normal limit in itself rarely matters - the overall picture and dynamics are important. It is up to the physician to interpret the analysis: an isolated indicator without a clinical context is often misleading.