Lung abnormalities increase with the number of monocyte cells in one’s bloodstream, finds new research. The latest study by Dr John S. Kim, an assistant professor in the department of medicine at the University of Virginia and colleagues, found that a higher monocyte count increased the odds of lung abnormalities worsening over time. The research, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, included 484 people and described that having a higher number of monocytes increased the risk of lung abnormalities by 20-30 percent.