Causes of low white blood cells

summary

In the outpatient department, patients often come over with test sheets in panic and say, "doctor, please help me to see the test sheets. The list says that I have low white blood cells. Do I have leukemia?" leukopenia is the most common problem encountered by hematologists in the outpatient department. There are many reasons for leucopenia. Let me share with you the reasons for leucopenia.

Causes of low white blood cells

First, the normal value of white blood cells in peripheral blood is 4 × 10 ^ 9-10 × 10 ^ 9 / L, lower than 4 × 10 ^ 9 / L is called leukopenia. Indeed, hematological diseases are the common causes of leukopenia, such as aplastic anemia, bone marrow fibrosis, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), acute leukemia, bone marrow hematopoiesis stagnation, etc., which are characterized by leukopenia, and often accompanied by other blood cell reductions, such as Erythropenia (anemia) and thrombocytopenia.

Second, many people know that white blood cells are the "guards" in the human body and an important defense tool against pathogen infection. If white blood cells are reduced, serious infection may occur. What many people don't know is that white blood cells contain many types, one of which is called "neutrophils", which is the most important for the prevention of infection. Therefore, the number of neutrophils is directly related to the chance of infection rather than leukopenia. Generally speaking, if the leucopenia is mild, as long as the neutrophils are not less than 1.5 × 10 ^ 9 / L, there will be no obvious symptoms, and it is not easy to be infected, unless it is easy to be infected in a serious stress state (such as trauma, surgery, etc.). However, when neutrophils are less than 1.5 × 10 ^ 9 / L, infection is more likely to occur; when neutrophils are less than 0.5 × 10 ^ 9 / L, infection of various pathogens (such as bacteria, fungi and tuberculosis) is extremely easy to occur.

Third, the inhibitory effect of anti-tumor drugs on bone marrow is related to the half life of blood cells. The half-life of red blood cells is 120 days, that of platelets is 5-7 days, and that of granulocytes is 6-8 hours. After chemotherapy, leucopenia often occurs first, and then thrombocytopenia. The former is more common and serious than the latter. Chemotherapy usually does not cause severe anemia. The degree of leukopenia, especially neutropenia, is related to many factors, such as the type, dosage, usage of antineoplastic drugs, the general state of patients and the previous treatment.

matters needing attention

Because the etiology of leukopenia is complex, we should attach great importance to the following situations: 1. Complicated with other blood cell abnormalities, such as anemia and thrombocytopenia; 2. Abnormal blood cells in the blood, such as immature cells or primitive cells; 3. Neutrophils less than 1.5 × 10 ^ 9 / L or complicated with infection; 4. Leukopenia lasts for more than 4 weeks.