Definition:
Neutropenia is a condition of an abnormal low number of a type of a particular type of white blood cell called a
neutrophil. White blood cells are the cells in the blood that has an important role in the body's immune by
fighting off infection. Because white blood cells could be affected by many diseases, doctors will often check
the "white blood cell count" in evaluating health conditions.
Diagnosis:
Low neutrophil counts are detected on full blood count. Usually, some other investigations are required to arrive
at the right diagnosis. When the diagnosis is not certain, or serious causes are suspected, bone marrow biopsy is
often necessary.
Treatment:
There is no ideal therapy for neutropenia, but recombinant G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) can be
effective in chemotherapy patients, in patients with congenital forms of neutropenia including severe congenital
neutropenia, autosomal recessive Kostmann's syndrome, cyclic neutropenia, and myelokathexis.
Symptoms and Signs:
Common symptoms of neutropenia include: Fever, Frequent infections due to lessened ability to fight bacterial
infections, Mouth ulcers, Diarrhea, Burning sensation when urinating, unusual redness, pain, or swelling around a
wound, Sore throat, Shortness of breath, shaking chills.
Causes:
Causes of neutropenia from disease can be categorized as resulting from decreased production of white blood cells,
destruction of white blood cells after they are produced, or pooling of white blood cells (accumulation of the
white blood cells out of the circulation).
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