Blood Health
Absolute Metamyelocytes
What This Marker Tells Us
Measures very immature neutrophil precursors that should remain in bone marrow; their presence in blood indicates severe bone marrow stress, serious infection, or blood disorders.
Why It Matters
Metamyelocytes are neutrophil precursors normally confined to bone marrow, two stages before maturity. Their appearance in peripheral blood (along with even more immature myelocytes and promyelocytes) represents a severe "left shift," indicating your bone marrow is desperately trying to produce neutrophils faster than normal. This occurs with life-threatening infections (sepsis), severe inflammation, bone marrow infiltration (leukemia, metastatic cancer), or myeloproliferative disorders. Metamyelocytes in peripheral blood always warrant immediate medical evaluation. Even small numbers are abnormal and concerning. Their presence indicates either severe systemic stress or primary bone marrow disease requiring urgent diagnosis and treatment.
How to Interpret Your Trends
Normal metamyelocytes in peripheral blood: 0 cells/μL (0%). Any detectable metamyelocytes are abnormal. Even 1-2% metamyelocytes indicate significant bone marrow stress or disease. Metamyelocytes above 5% suggest severe infection, sepsis, or bone marrow disorders (leukemia, myelofibrosis). High metamyelocytes with other immature cells (myelocytes, promyelocytes, blasts) strongly suggest leukemia requiring immediate hematologic evaluation. Transient low-level metamyelocytes may occur with severe infections, but persistence demands investigation.
What Influences This Marker
Metamyelocytes appear with severe bacterial infections (sepsis, meningitis), severe trauma or burns, acute hemorrhage, hemolytic crisis, chronic myeloid leukemia, acute leukemia, myelofibrosis, myeloproliferative disorders, bone marrow infiltration by cancer, and G-CSF administration. They should not appear in healthy individuals or mild illnesses. Their presence always indicates serious pathology requiring immediate medical attention.
How Your Team Uses It
Your coach recognizes that metamyelocytes indicate medical urgency beyond coaching scope. Their role is ensuring you seek immediate medical evaluation while supporting recovery through rest, nutrition, and avoiding physical stress that could worsen the underlying condition.
Related Signals We Also Review
Myelocytes, promyelocytes, blasts, bands, absolute neutrophils, total WBC, peripheral blood smear, and immediate medical evaluation for any immature cells in circulation.