It is recommended that people with active Crohn's or Colitis should be regularly screened for anaemia. Anaemia, which can make you feel tired and short of breath, can be caused by bleeding in the intestines, poor absorption of iron and restricted food intake. These measurements indicate whether you have anaemia, where there is too little haemoglobin and/or too few red blood cells.Įstimates suggest, at any one time, anaemia affects one in four people with Crohn’s and one in five with Colitis. These include the number of cells (red blood cell count), and the haemoglobin level (the amount of oxygen carrying pigment contained in red blood cells).

High levels of these cells involved in blood clotting can also be a sign of inflammation.įor these cells, used to carry oxygen around the body, a number of measurements are made. Numbers of white blood cells can be raised when there is inflammation or infection in the body, or can be lowered by drugs such as azathioprine. Doctors talk about a ‘range’ of results since some people naturally have higher or lower levels than others. It is used to give an indication of your general health as well as provide clues about particular health problems. Some of the blood tests used most often in Crohn's and Colitis are:Īn FBC is a common test that measures the three main types of blood cells. You are likely to need repeat blood tests over time. Your doctor or nurse will let you know if this is necessary. For some specialised tests you may be asked to fast (not eat) overnight or for a few hours before the sample is taken.

There are several blood tests that are used to help support a diagnosis of Crohn's or Colitis and to monitor the effects of Crohn's or Colitis and its treatments.īlood samples are usually taken from a vein in the arm, using a needle attached to a syringe or a small collecting container.

Xray markers