Neutropenia is a blood condition characterized by low levels of neutrophils, which are white blood cells that protect your body from infections. Without enough neutrophils, your body can’t fight off bacteria. Having neutropenia
increases your risk for many types of infection
.
Does neutropenia cause fatigue?
Some people will feel more tired when they have neutropenia
. Your doctor will schedule regular blood tests to look for neutropenia and other blood-related side effects of chemotherapy. For people with neutropenia, even a minor infection can quickly become serious.
What problems can neutropenia cause?
But some people may have other symptoms from
infection
or the underlying problem causing the neutropenia. Infections can occur as a complication of neutropenia. They occur most often in the mucous membranes, such as the inside of the mouth and the skin.
How does neutropenia affect the immune system?
Neutropenia is a blood condition characterized by low levels of neutrophils, which are white blood cells that protect your body from infections. Without enough neutrophils, your body can’t fight off bacteria. Having neutropenia
increases your risk for many types of infection
.
What is the most common cause of neutropenia?
Chemotherapy
is one of the most common causes of neutropenia. Cancer and other blood and/or bone marrow disorders. Deficiencies in vitamins or minerals, such as vitamin B12, folate, or copper. Autoimmune diseases, including Crohn’s disease, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
How long can you live with neutropenia?
Neutropenia can be caused by some viral infections or certain medications. The neutropenia is most often temporary in these cases.
Chronic neutropenia is defined as lasting more than 2 months
. It may eventually go away, or remain as a life-long condition.
What should I eat if I have neutropenia?
- Dairy: all pasteurized milk and dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and sour cream.
- Starches: all breads, cooked pastas, chips, French toast, pancakes, cereal, cooked sweet potatoes, beans, corn, peas, whole grains, and fries.
Can neutropenia be caused by stress?
With reactive neutrophilia, there is an
increase in the number of neutrophils in response to
infections or stress. Stress hormones in our body cause a greater than a normal number of these cells to be released from the bone marrow.
What is a good neutrophil count?
The number doctors look at is called your absolute neutrophil count (ANC). A healthy person has an ANC
between 2,500 and 6,000
. The ANC is found by multiplying the WBC count by the percent of neutrophils in the blood.
When should I be concerned about neutropenia?
If you’ve been diagnosed with neutropenia, call your doctor right away if you develop signs of an infection, which may include:
Fever above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) Chills and sweats
.
A new or worsening cough
.
What are the symptoms of Neutrophilia?
Symptoms of neutropenia are
fever, skin abscesses, mouth sores, swollen gum, and skin infections
. Neutropenia is a condition in which the number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the bloodstream is decreased, affecting the body’s ability to fight off infections.
Should I worry about low neutrophils?
Lower neutrophil levels
How can I raise my neutrophil count?
- colony-stimulating factors.
- corticosteroids.
- anti-thymocyte globulin.
- bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.
Does autoimmune neutropenia go away?
Prognosis. This form of neutropenia
disappears in two to three years of a child’s life in 95% of cases
. The use of prophylactic antibiotics has been successfully demonstrated to reduce infection incidence without causing adverse effects among the 5% of children whose condition does not resolve itself.
What is a dangerously low neutrophil count?
In adults, a count of 1,500 neutrophils per microliter of blood or less is considered to be neutropenia, with any count
below 500 per microliter of blood
regarded as a severe case. In severe cases, even bacteria that are normally present in the mouth, skin, and gut can cause serious infections.
Can neutropenia lead to leukemia?
Patients with
congenital forms of SCN
are at greater risk of developing leukemia than are other people, especially in cases associated with certain gene mutations and cases that require higher medication doses.
