Monocytes are blood cells that belong to the group of lymphocytes. They are essential for a normal immune response. Monocytes are able to swallow foreign agents, thereby destroying them. This process is called phagocytosis. A change in the level of monocytes in the blood indicates various pathologies. What are the reasons that monocytes are lowered in an adult? How to deal with them? About this, as well as about the reasons for the increase in the number of monocytes later in the article.
Normal values
To understand what low monocytes in the blood of an adult mean, you need to have an idea of their norm. It is worth noting that there is no significant correlation in the norm of monocytes between men and women.
Absolute norms should not be lower than 0.04 × 109 / l, that is, in just a liter of blood, the number of monocytes should begreater than or equal to this value.
In most laboratories, the result is given in relative terms. They imply the percentage of monocytes among the total number of lymphocytes. Normal values are from 3 to 11%.
Reducing the number of monocytes less than 3% is called monocytopenia. And an increase of more than 11% is called monocytosis.
Causes of monocytopenia
There are really many reasons for low monocytes in the blood of an adult. The main ones are listed below:
- severe infectious diseases of an inflammatory nature, in which both the relative and absolute number of monocytes decreases due to a decrease in the total number of lymphocytes;
- aplastic anemia is a disease of the bone marrow in which the production of all blood cells is disrupted;
- folate deficiency anemia - occurs due to a lack of folic acid in the body;
- oncological diseases of the bone marrow - leukemia, in which the level of all blood cells is also reduced;
- long-term use of corticosteroids, for example, with autoimmune pathologies of the body;
- chemotherapy for cancer;
- recent surgery;
- chronic stress, emotional overload;
- poisoning by chemical agents;
- radioactive exposure;
- severe and widespread purulent processes of soft tissues (cellulitis, abscesses).
Physiological is a decrease in the level of monocytes in women in the postpartum period. This isthe state is transitory, that is, temporary. It resolves on its own and does not need treatment.
Causes of monocytosis
Considering the causes of low monocytes in an adult, one should also understand the reasons for their increase, since this is also an important diagnostic sign of some diseases. Most often, an increase in monocytes is observed in the following pathological conditions:
- infectious mononucleosis - accompanied by a sharp increase in the number of monocytes and lymphocytes, which is an important diagnostic sign of this disease;
- autoimmune diseases - rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis and others;
- bacterial infections;
- fungal diseases;
- worm infestation;
- allergic reactions;
- oncology.
As the reader may have noticed, there are diseases in which both an increase in the number of monocytes and their decrease is possible. Often a decrease in lymphocytes and monocytes in an adult is the result of a prolonged increase in their number. As a result, this bone marrow sprout is depleted and the number of white blood cells decreases.
Relative monocytosis
Relative monocytosis is an increase in the percentage of monocytes while maintaining normal absolute values. Most often, this occurs with a decrease in other fractions of leukocytes due to a decrease in neutrophils and lymphocytes. What does this symptom indicate the presence of immunodeficiencystates.
For example, if neutrophils are low and monocytes are high in an adult, most likely he is suffering from a serious illness that has led to a depleted immune response. This is possible with prolonged bacterial infections. First, neutrophils rise and the body actively fights the infection. But soon they are depleted and their number falls. The number of monocytes did not change by itself, but their concentration increased as a percentage.
A similar situation occurs when an adult has low lymphocytes and increased monocytes. Only in this case we are talking about a viral infection, not a bacterial one.
Monocytopenia in blood diseases: symptoms
As noted earlier, the reason that monocytes are lowered in the blood of an adult can be various diseases of the blood and bone marrow:
- aplastic anemia;
- folate deficiency anemia;
- leukemia.
Changes in the blood test are far from the only sign of the pathologies listed above. All of them are manifested by certain symptoms that make it possible to suspect the presence of a problem. Common clinical manifestations of blood disorders include:
- pallor of the skin;
- weight loss;
- loss of appetite;
- general fatigue and weakness;
- drowsiness, sleep disturbance.
Monocytopenia in blood diseases: treatment
Treatment directly depends on the cause of monocytopenia. Asfolate deficiency anemia develops due to a lack of folic acid, the main direction of therapy is to compensate for this deficiency in the body with the help of folic acid preparations.
Leukemias are oncological diseases, therefore the principles of their therapy correspond to those of other oncologies. Depending on the type of leukemia, the severity of the course of the disease and other factors, the doctor selects the optimal regimen of radiation and chemotherapy. In the terminal stages, a bone marrow transplant is recommended.
Monocytopenia in infectious diseases
If monocytes are low in an adult due to infections, their number usually recovers quickly after recovery. Monocytopenia is more typical for viral diseases. They manifest with the following symptoms:
- increased body temperature;
- headache;
- cough;
- runny nose;
- weakness and fatigue;
- chill;
- body aches;
- drowsy.
Most viral diseases go away on their own, without any specific treatment. The main thing is to keep bed rest and drink plenty of fluids. But with severe intoxication, high temperature or abundant secretion through the respiratory tract, it is advised to use symptomatic therapy:
- mucolytics - dilute sputum - "Muk altin", "Acetylcysteine";
- expectorant - contribute to expectoration of sputum - "Ambrobene", "Lazolvan";
- vasoconstrictor drops - reduce nasal discharge - Naphthyzin, Rinazolin;
- antipyretic - bring down the temperature - "Paracetamol", "Ibuprofen".
- antihistamines - prevent the development of an allergic reaction during the active decay of the virus in the body - Diphenhydramine, Loratadine.
Why might the result be distorted?
One complete blood count alone does not give a 100% guarantee of the correct result. Therefore, if there is a result that monocytes are lowered in an adult, only in one blood test, it should be redone. There are many reasons for skewed data, from poor preparation to mixed-up results between two patients.
Therefore, preparation for a complete blood count plays a very important role. To achieve the most accurate results, you need to follow a few rules:
- Blood should be taken on an empty stomach, so it's best to do it in the morning. Moreover, the minimum break between the last meal and the test should be at least 8 hours.
- One and a half to two hours before the procedure, you should stop smoking.
- On the eve of the procedure, it is recommended not to eat heavy meals - fatty, fried, smoked.
- Also avoid alcoholic beverages at least a day in advance.
- If you have ever experienced nausea or fainting while donating blood, please let the medical staff know.
Follow these rulessignificantly increases the likelihood of obtaining a true result.
Reviews
Many of those who have a reduced number of monocytes in their blood have not been treated for this condition. Often this is an accidental finding and a physiological feature of the organism. Therefore, if there are no clinical manifestations, you should not bother to re-read a thousand articles on the causes of mononucleosis on the Internet. As noted above, monocytopenia can develop in a variety of pathologies.
Therefore, doctors recommend that if reduced monocytes are found in the blood, first of all, consult with your doctor. He will determine whether it is appropriate for the patient to undergo further examination. After all, a decrease in monocytes is not a diagnosis, but only a separate symptom. And it is not the analysis that needs to be treated, but the person!
