Neutropenia
Brief description of the disease
Neutropenia is a condition characterized by a low number of neutrophils in the blood.
Neutrophils are blood cells that mature in the bone marrow within two weeks. After entering the circulatory system, neutrophils seek out and destroy foreign agents. In other words, neutrophils are a kind of defense army against bacteria. A decrease in the level of these protective cells leads to an increased susceptibility to various infectious diseases.
Neutropenia in children over one year old and in adults is characterized by a decrease in the level of neutrophils below 1500 per 1 μl. Neutropenia in children under one year old is characterized by a decrease in the level of neutrophils below 1000 in 1 μl of blood.
Children in the first year of life most often suffer from chronic benign neutropenia. This disease is characterized by cyclicality, that is, the level of neutrophils fluctuates at different periods of time: it drops to a very low level, then rises to the required level. Chronic benign neutropenia resolves on its own by 2-3 years.
Causes of neutropenia
The causes of the disease are quite diverse. These include various viral and bacterial infections, the negative effect of certain medications on the body, aplastic anemia, severe inflammatory diseases, and the effect of chemotherapy.
In some cases, it is not possible to establish the cause of neutropenia, that is, the disease develops as an independent pathology.
Degrees and forms of neutropenia
There are three degrees of the disease:
- mild degree is characterized by the presence of more than 1000 neutrophils per microliter;
- the average degree assumes the presence of 500 to 1000 neutrophils in the blood per μl of blood;
- severe degree is characterized by the presence of less than 500 neutrophils in the blood per μl.
Also, the disease can be acute and chronic. The acute form is characterized by the rapid development of the disease, the chronic form can last for several years.
Symptoms of neutropenia
Symptoms of the disease depend on the manifestation of the infection or disease, which develops against the background of neutropenia. The form of neutropenia, its duration and the reason for which it arose, has a certain effect on the severity of the infection.
If the immune system is affected, the body is attacked by various viruses and bacteria. In this case, the symptoms of neutropenia will be ulcers on the mucous membranes, fever, pneumonia. In the absence of proper treatment, toxic shock may develop.
The chronic form has a more favorable prognosis.
With a decrease in the level of neutrophils below 500 per 1 μl of blood, a rather dangerous form of the disease develops, which is called febrile neutropenia. It is characterized by severe weakness, sweating, a sharp rise in temperature above 38 ° C, tremors, and disruption of the normal functioning of the heart. This condition is rather difficult to diagnose, since similar symptoms are observed with the development of pneumonia or bacterial blood poisoning.
Treating neutropenia
Treatment of the disease depends on the reason for which it arose. Therefore, the infection that led to the development of neutropenia is treated. Depending on the severity and form of the disease, the doctor decides on the treatment of neutropenia in a hospital or at home. The main focus is on strengthening the immune system.
From medicines used antibiotics, vitamins, medicines to strengthen the immune system. In a very severe form, the patient is placed in an isolated room, where sterility is maintained and ultraviolet irradiation is performed.
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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
