What is MON (Monocytes-Absolute / Percentage) in Blood Test? What is High and Low MON (Monocytes) Value? Causes & Treatment?
- Health Garden
- Mar 10, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 18, 2024
MON (Monocytes) in blood test is a test that measures the number of monocyte cells in your blood.
Monocytes are one of 5 types of white blood cells.
MON (Monocytes) are produced in the bone marrow and travel through the blood to the tissues in the body, where they transform into macrophages or dendritic cells. Macrophages surround and kill microorganisms, engulf foreign substances, remove dead cells, and enhance immune responses.
During inflammation, dendritic cells display antigens on their surface to other cells of the immune system, increasing immune responses.
What is A Normal MON (Monocytes) Value in Blood Test ?
The normal MON (Monocyte) value in blood in adults is 200-800 per microliter. This equals approximately 2 to 8% of white blood cells. Reference ranges may vary slightly between laboratories.
What is High MON (Monocyte) Value in Blood Test?
High MON (Monocyte) in a blood test is a value above 800 per microliter.
Increased number of circulating monocytes is called monocytosis.
High MON (Monocyte) may be associated with infection, trauma, medications, autoimmune diseases, and some cancers.
If MON (Monocyte) is high in the blood test, it means that the body is fighting a harmful microorganism or a different disease. The body produces extra monocytes to fight these foreign substances.
What Causes High MON (Monocyte) in Blood Test?
These conditions can cause a high monocyte count:
Autoimmune diseases
Blood diseases
Cancer (leukemia, lymphoma)
Infection
Inflammatory disorder
Stress, excessive exercise, and pregnancy can also cause high monocyte levels.
High MON (Monocyte) Symptoms
If monocyte levels are high, the person may experience symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and fever.
These symptoms may be symptoms not only of high MON but also of different underlying diseases. When experiencing these complaints, which may be symptoms of different diseases, the nearest health institution should be consulted.
How to Treat High MON (Monocyte) Level?
The underlying cause of a high Monocyte count must be directly identified and treated. Therefore, the first step in reducing high monocyte count is to diagnose the underlying disease. Your doctor will manage this process with physical examination, medical history, blood tests and other necessary tests.
Treatment may vary depending on the underlying disease and personal health condition. But in general, the following methods may help reduce the monocyte increase:
Treatment of infections: High monocyte count may be caused by infection. Treating the infection with the correct antibiotic or antiviral medications can return monocyte levels to normal.
Management of inflammatory diseases: Treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease can reduce monocyte levels. These treatments can often include anti-inflammatory medications.
Treatment of autoimmune disorders: Treatment of autoimmune diseases may aim to reduce the activity of the immune system with immunosuppressive drugs or corticosteroids.
Cancer treatment: If cancer-related monocyte levels are high, cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.) can normalize monocyte levels.
Healthy lifestyle: A healthy lifestyle can reduce inflammation and reduce some factors that cause monocytes to rise. A balanced diet, regular exercise and avoiding stress can be beneficial in this regard.
You should definitely consult a doctor to get the correct diagnosis and treatment for high monocyte levels.
What is Low MON (Monocyte) in Blood Test?
Low MON (Monocyte) in a blood test is a value below 200 per microliter.
This condition is called monocytopenia.
If the MON value is low, it means that the body cannot produce enough monocytes.
Since the immune system will work inadequately in low MON, the body will become more vulnerable to microorganisms and diseases.
Additionally, low monocyte levels that occur during bone marrow disorders or cancer treatment can cause general weakness and fatigue in the body.
What Causes Low MON (Monocyte) in Blood Test?
Some possible factors that cause low monocytes include:
Bacterial infections: Severe bacterial infections can cause an increase in the number of white blood cells, especially neutrophils, which can reduce monocyte levels.
Chronic infections: Long-term, persistent infections or diseases can reduce the number of circulating monocytes.
Bone marrow disorders: Bone marrow diseases or disorders can affect monocyte production, causing low monocyte levels.
Chemotherapy or radiotherapy: Chemotherapy or radiotherapy used to treat cancer can damage bone marrow cells and reduce monocyte production.
Immune system disorders: Immune system disorders can affect the normal production of monocytes and cause low monocyte levels.
Some medications: Some medications, such as corticosteroids, suppress the immune system and can reduce the number of monocytes.
Bone marrow transplant: Bone marrow transplant can affect the production of new bone marrow cells and cause low monocyte counts.
Burn injuries
How to Treat Low MON (Monocyte) Level?
Low monocytes may be a symptom of a medical condition or may be temporary. Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause. Treatments can be applied for causes such as bone marrow disorders, immune system problems or infections. If your monocyte levels are below normal, your doctor will perform a physical examination, take your medical history, and order additional tests if necessary to make the correct diagnosis. Once the underlying cause of low monocyte count is determined, an appropriate treatment plan can be created.