Which laboratory finding is commonly elevated in pericarditis?

In cases of pericarditis, the body responds to inflammation, often leading to an increase in various inflammatory markers. One of the commonly elevated laboratory findings is the white blood cell count. This elevation indicates an immune response to the inflammation occurring in the pericardium. The condition is typically associated with an influx of white blood cells as the body attempts to combat the underlying cause of the pericarditis, which could be infectious, autoimmune, or idiopathic in nature.

The change in white blood cell count serves as a useful indicator of inflammation and can assist in diagnostic evaluation, guiding further management of the patient. In contrast, hemoglobin levels or platelet counts are not specifically linked to pericarditis and do not typically show a characteristic increase. Glucose levels, while important in other clinical contexts, do not correlate with the inflammatory processes seen in pericarditis. Thus, the elevation of the white blood cell count is a key indicator of this condition.