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The reduction in the number of white blood cells is called leukopenia. And what is the characteristic of, among others, granulocytopenia, agranulocytosis, lymphopenia, pancytopenia?
What is leukopenia?
Leukopenia is a condition characterized by a reduction in the number of white blood cells per unit of blood volume (e.g. in 1 mm3) below the number defined as the norm for a specific age and gender.
Symptoms of leukopenia
Often times, people do not suspect that they have leukopenia until they do a random blood count. In addition, they usually do not feel any discomfort, especially if the deficiency affects (proportionally) all types of cells of the white blood cell system. Nevertheless, people with leukopenia are generally characterized by reduced immunity, especially against various infections and inflammatory processes.
Leukopenia can also cause, among others:
- weakness,
- tiredness,
- problems with concentration,
- headaches,
- aphthas and other ulcerative lesions in the mouth,
- purulent skin lesions,
- high body temperature or fever
- enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Leukopenia may mean an insufficient amount of white blood cells (as an expression of bone marrow underdevelopment in the area of e.g. granulocytes), and may also indicate a general insufficiency of all elements of the bone marrow or be the result of its fibrosis.
Leukopenia – treatment
Leukopenia is a common abnormality in morphology, but can be life-threatening in some cases. Treatment of leukopenia depends on its cause. If a specific disease is behind the white blood cell deficiency, it needs to be treated to ensure that everything returns to normal. Severe leukopenia may require administration of G-CSF granulocyte growth factor or even a bone marrow transplant.
Granulocytopenia – definition
Granulocytopenia is a condition that can be of very different nature and is characterized by a reduction in the number of granulocytes below the normal level, usually accompanied by a reduction in the total number of white blood cells, and, occasionally, even when the total number is normal.
Not forgetting the physiological role of granulocytes as cells, e.g. absorbing foreign elements and securing the so-called cellular immunity, on the one hand, it should be stated that the states of a significant reduction in the number of granulocytes in the blood (especially their absolute number) may be a serious threat to the body due to the susceptibility to various (commonly threatening in everyday life) bacterial infections. On the other hand, lowering the number of white blood cells can lead to some bacterial infectious diseases, such as:
- typhoid,
- pseudo-mushrooms,
- miliary tuberculosis,
- tularemi.
Granulocytopenia. How to prevent?
Granulocytopenia does not actually need to be treated, but requires a reasonable life and appropriate preventive measures, including:
- avoiding contact with all kinds of possible sources of infection,
- avoiding contact with chemicals, such as: toluene, various types of paints and varnishes, crude oil, benzene, xylene, gasoline and other its derivatives, insecticidal, herbicidal and fungicidal pesticides, asphalt and related substances, etc.,
- avoiding ionizing radiation, e.g. X-rays, radiation of radioactive elements,
- avoiding the consumption of foods that are protected with chemical plant protection products (pesticides), as well as smoked, pickled (fermented) products that are previously moldy or fermented (although partially) and cured (e.g. with the use of nitrate) or otherwise chemically preserved, etc. ,
- Avoiding taking large amounts of drugs, especially those used without doctor’s prescription, e.g. antibiotics, sulfonamides, as well as headache pills, the so-called with a cross, preparations used in hyperthyroidism and various anti-rheumatic drugs,
- eliminating all infections in the bud, e.g. by using – only according to medical recommendations – chemotherapeutic agents.
It should be remembered that the body individually reacts to certain harmful factors with which it comes into contact consciously or unconsciously.
In people who are highly sensitive or who have previously developed allergies to a specific substance, some of the factors mentioned (neutral for most people) can lead to acute granulocytopenia, agranulocytosis and even death.
Agranulocytosis – what is it?
Agranulocytosis is a very dangerous disease characterized by a virtually complete deficiency of neutrophils in the peripheral blood due to the inability to produce them by the bone marrow, or as a result of reactions leading to their disintegration immediately after production, or even during the maturation process. The consequence of this is the loss of any cellular immunity and an increased susceptibility to any infections. The emerging infection spreads very quickly, so the patient requires immediate hospitalization and proper treatment.
Among the lesions observed by family members and a physician, the most frequently mentioned are the generally severe condition of a patient with a high temperature.
Fever is accompanied by the following symptoms almost every time:
- sore throat,
- hypertrophy and hyperemia of the tonsils; there is a white-gray coating and ulcers on their surface, and often also on the oral mucosa and tongue,
- bad, foul odor from the mouth.
Such changes can be generalized to the mucosa of the anus, vagina or labia. The sudden spread of the infectious-inflammatory process can quickly contribute to the formation of general infection, pneumonia, etc. This life-threatening disease syndrome should be immediately treated in hospital and be a warning against the easy and common use of various chemicals, rash use of drugs without medical indications.
Therefore, when we observe changes in the throat and tonsils, we should check the number of white blood cells as soon as possible. leukocytosis, which is increased in the course of bacterial angina, and clearly reduced in agranulocytosis, and virtually no granulocytes in the percentage composition.
Agranulocytosis – how to treat?
In the treatment of agranulocytosis, the most important thing is to make an appropriate diagnosis as soon as possible and to start specialist treatment. Moreover, it is recommended to minimize all possible sources of contact with infectious agents, e.g. by not visiting even the closest people; Moreover, the medical staff should follow all the rules of sterility in all possible links of the diagnostic, nursing and medical procedure.
If possible, the causative agent of agranulocytosis should be identified as soon as possible. It is very important for the patient’s further prognosis. Discontinuation of contact with the causative agent and warning the patient against it protects him from any secondary contact.
How to prevent
Prevention of agranulocytosis includes the prophylaxis discussed in granulocytopenia and aplastic anemia.
What is lymphopenia?
Lymphopenia is a congenital or acquired anemia of the lymphocyte-producing system characterized by a reduction in the percentage of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood percentage, and above all in the absolute number of lymphocytes in a given unit of blood volume.
Relative lymphopenia can be temporarily diagnosed as a consequence of mobilization, and thus enlargement of the granulocyte system, in the period of increased need to fight bacterial infections in the body (such a condition is considered beneficial and purposeful for the organism).
Congenital or acquired absolute chronic lymphopenia is unfavorable for our body. In a way, it means that the ability to produce antibodies is impaired when unwanted antigenic substances enter the body.
People with this ailment show an increased tendency and predisposition to infection. This is usually manifested by recurrent angina, flu, or flu-like colds, and finally other types of infectious and inflammatory conditions, e.g.
- prone to ulceration on the oral mucosa,
- predisposition to carcinoma (sometimes several times a year).
Diagnosis
The diagnosis can only be made by a physician based on the information provided by the patient or their environment (e.g. as to the types of past disease states, presumed causes and circumstances of their occurrence) and the results of many highly specialized immunological and serological tests.
Proper diagnosis, that is, the identification of immune defects, conditioned by, inter alia, lymphopenia gives a chance to improve the existing state of affairs, provided that the patient systematically carries out the therapy prescribed by the doctor.
Megakariocytopenia
Megakaryocytopenia is a condition in which, for unknown reasons, the number of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow is reduced. Megakaryocytes are the parent for thrombocytes, or platelets. The consequences of this condition are discussed in the section on thrombocytopenic bleeding disorders.
Pancytopenia – what is it?
Pancytopenia is a multi-system deficiency of blood cells due to complete bone marrow loss, i.e. the production of all its components, i.e. red blood cells, white blood cells and megakaryocytes.
Pancytopenia is diagnosed when the patient has low values: the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and thrombocytes in the peripheral blood and a reduced number of their stem cells in the bone marrow.
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