neutropenia; From cause to treatment
Neutropenia (neutropenia) is a condition in which the amount of neutrophils in the blood is abnormally low.... Neutrophils are an important type of white blood cells that are vital for fighting pathogens, especially bacterial infections..
In this article, we are going to tell you what neutropenia is and How is it treated.... Stay tuned with GCORP LLC ..
What is Neutropenia?...
As we said, a patient with neutropenia has low white blood cells. In adults, a count of 1500 neutrophils per microliter of blood is considered mild neutropenia, and a count of less than 500 per microliter is considered severe. In severe cases, even bacteria normally found in the mouth, skin, and intestines can cause serious infections. Neutrophils, rapid use of neutrophils, increased destruction of neutrophils or a combination of all three factors.... Neutropenia can be temporary or chronic.... This disease is also divided into two types of congenital and acquired netropenia..See more: premature aging syndrome solve it
Types of neutropenia
This disease has different types and the intensity of each one is different. The types of neutropenia are:
- Periodic neutropenia: This is a rare congenital syndrome that causes fluctuations in the number of neutrophils. It is estimated to affect 1 in 1,000,000 people.
- Costmann syndrome: This is a genetic disorder in which neutrophils are produced at lower levels.. People with Kostmann syndrome are susceptible to infection from an early age.
- Chronic idiopathic neutropenia: This is a relatively common version of neutropenia that mainly affects women.
- Autoimmune neutropenia: This condition occurs when a person's immune system attacks and destroys neutrophils.
- Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: This is a rare genetic disorder that has multiple effects, including short stature, pancreatic problems, and low neutrophil counts.
- Neonatal neutropenia: Here the mother's antibodies cross the placenta and attack the developing fetus's neutrophils.... This condition usually resolves on its own within 2 months.... The disease can be asymptomatic or lead to sepsis.
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Causes of neutropenia
Neutrophils are produced in the bone marrow and in the center of larger bones.. Anything that disrupts this process can cause neutropenia.. Normally, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia occurs in cancer treatment.. In fact, about half of cancer patients who receive chemotherapy will experience some level of it... Other potential causes of neutropenia include:- blood cancer
- Dependence on alcohol
- Pearson syndrome Hypersplenism or enlarged spleen
- Certain medications, including antibiotics and medications for high blood pressure, mental disorders, and epilepsy.
- Barrett syndrome (a genetic disorder that affects multiple systems)
- myelodysplastic syndromes (are a group of disorders characterized by blood cell dysfunction and bone marrow production problems)
- Myelofibrosis (a rare bone marrow problem also called osteomyelofibrosis)
- Vitamin deficiency, especially vitamin B12, folate and copper deficiency.
- Sepsis (bloodstream infection that consumes neutrophils faster than they are produced)
- Certain infections, including hepatitis A, B, and C, AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, and Lyme disease.
In addition, some autoimmune conditions can target neutrophils and reduce their number. These conditions include:
- Crohn's disease
- articular rheumatism
- Lupus
Premature babies are more likely to be born with neutropenia than babies who are born close to the due date. This condition affects 6 to 8% of babies who are kept in the intensive care unit. As a general rule, the smaller the baby, the more likely it is to have neutropenia.
Symptoms of neutropenia
Neutropenia itself has no symptoms....It is often seen during routine blood tests or tests related to another disease....That's why patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and are more exposed to this disease should have regular blood tests....But the most serious concern about neutropenia is infection, which easily spreads throughout the body without controlling the number of neutrophils...Symptoms of infection include:
- High fever or low temperature
- Shivering and sweating
- Flu-like symptoms
- weakness
- Mucositis, inflammation and painful ulceration of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract
- Abdominal pains
- diarrhea and vomiting
- Change in mental state
- Sore throat, toothache or mouth sores
- Pain in the anus area
- Burning sensation when urinating
- Increased urination
- Cough
- Difficulty in breathing
- Redness or swelling around the wound Abnormal vaginal discharge
In case of infection, there is a risk of febrile neutropenia, which is also called neutropenic sepsis. This is an emergency situation and occurs mostly in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The mortality rate is between 2 and 21%.
Fever above 38°C, for 1 hour or more, is recognized as one of the symptoms of febrile neutropenia....In addition, in this type of neutropenia, the absolute neutrophil count is 1500 cells per microliter or less....Physicians should immediately treat the patient's infection.
Treatment of neutropenia
Treatment of neutropenia depends on the cause of this disorder. The treatments used to reduce the effect of this disease are:
- Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF): This is a glycoprotein that stimulates the bone marrow to produce neutrophils and other granulocytes and release them into the bloodstream. The most common form of G-CSF is a drug called filg..
- Granulocyte-macrophage stimulating factor (GM-CSF): Naturally produced glycoprotein, has a similar role to G-CSF...both promote neutrophil recovery after chemotherapy.
- Antibiotics: Prophylactic antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to reduce the chance of infection.... They are often given when neutrophil counts are likely to be at their lowest.
Recommendations for patients with neutropenia
Patients with neutropenia should take precautions in their lifestyle and avoid infection. These measures include the following:
- Cleaning hands regularly, especially after using the toilet
- Avoid crowds and sick people
- Not sharing personal items such as toothbrushes, drinking glasses, utensils
- Daily bathing or showering
- Complete cooking of meat and eggs
- Not buying food in damaged packages
- cleaning the refrigerator completely
- Complete washing of raw fruits and vegetables
- Avoid direct contact with pet waste
- Washing hands after handling animals
- Wear gloves when gardening
- Using a soft toothbrush
- Using an electric shaver instead of a razor
- Clean any wound with warm soapy water
- Using an antiseptic to clean the wound area
- Wearing shoes outdoors
- Keeping surfaces clean
- Get the flu shot as soon as it becomes available
Conclusion
According to the points mentioned, this disease is more common in some people who have had a history of chemotherapy... It is also affected by some diseases and vitamin deficiency... Therefore, these patients should be continuously tested and monitored so that they do not suffer from neutropenia... We suggest you to contact GCORP LLC for urgent medical consultation and online appointment and be in touch with the best specialist.
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