If a person has low white blood cells, then this can be a sign of many diseases. This medical condition is called leukopenia. It leads to a sharp drop in immunity. Leukocytes are also known as white blood cells. They are responsible for neutralizing pathogens, parasites and toxins. These cells are in charge of protecting our he alth. A person suffering from leukopenia begins to get sick more often, as his body loses its ability to resist infections.
Function of leukocytes
Leukocytes or white bodies are blood cells. They are very important for the formation of immunity. These blood elements play a protective role. If pathogenic microorganisms enter the body, then leukocytes recognize foreign protein substances. White bodies quickly find bacteria and viruses, surround them, and then digest and destroy them. In the fight against infection, a large number of leukocytes die. To make up for their deficiency, the hematopoietic system produces more and more white corpuscles. Therefore, in infectious inflammatory diseases, it is often notedincrease in white blood cells.
However, in some pathologies, reduced leukocytes are observed. What does such an indicator mean? This sign indicates that a person has weakened the body's defenses. In a patient with leukopenia, the risk of infection with bacteria, viruses and other dangerous microorganisms increases dramatically. If a decrease in white cells in the blood is observed constantly and for a long time, then a person begins to get sick more often due to a drop in immunity.
How to detect leukopenia
You can find out the number of leukocytes in the blood by passing a routine clinical blood test. With the help of this study, not only the white body count is determined, but also the level of hemoglobin, the number and rate of erythrocyte sedimentation.
It is important to remember that leukocytes are divided into several types. There are the following types of white blood cells:
- lymphocytes;
- monocytes;
- neutrophils;
- basophils;
- eosinophils.
If the results of a general blood test reveal that white blood cells are low or high, then an additional diagnostic test is prescribed. This is a blood test for leukocyte formula. It shows which type of white body is elevated or decreased.
To understand what low white blood cells mean, your doctor may prescribe additional tests for infections, cancer, and thyroid hormones. This helps to identify the cause of leukopenia.
Normalindicators
The norm for the content of leukocytes in the blood for adults (both men and women) is 4-9 x 109 g/l. In children, the number of white blood cells is usually always higher. For a child under 6 years old, the number of leukocytes from 5 to 15 x 109 g / l is considered the norm, and at the age of 12 years - from 4.5 to 13.5 x 10 9/l. With age, this figure decreases.
If a patient has low leukocytes in the blood, then doctors recommend a second test or a more detailed hematological examination. Sometimes the deviation from the norm is temporary and can be caused by random reasons. If a decrease in white blood cells is observed constantly, then doctors talk about leukopenia. Next, we will look at the main reasons for this phenomenon.
Main causes of leukopenia
Reduced white blood cells in an adult or a child are not always associated with pathology. If a slight deviation from the norm is found in the analysis, then this may be caused by taking certain medications. Such a deviation is observed during the course of treatment with antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as drugs for thyrotoxicosis. Leukopenia of medicinal genesis is considered physiological, it is not associated with diseases. However, a decrease in leukocytes should be reported to the attending physician, it is possible that a dosage adjustment or drug withdrawal is necessary.
It often happens that leukocytes are lowered due to pathology. Leukopenia is not a separate disease, but may be a symptom of variousailments. The reasons for this deviation can be divided into the following groups:
- lack of substances that affect the production of leukocytes;
- death of white cells or a decrease in their number in the bloodstream during infections and poisoning;
- disruption of the hematopoietic system;
- diseases of internal organs leading to leukopenia.
Let's take a closer look at each of these factors.
Unhe althy diet
It often happens that a person is completely he althy, but his white blood cells are low. What does it mean? Due to insufficient or irrational nutrition in the body, a deficiency of substances necessary for the normal functioning of the hematopoietic system may form. These include the following vitamins and minerals:
- folic acid;
- iodine;
- iron;
- copper;
- zinc;
- vitamins B1 and B12.
All these substances affect the formation of white blood cells, and their lack can cause leukopenia. If this condition is caused by malnutrition, then the situation can be corrected quite easily. It is necessary to include foods rich in the above substances in the diet, this will lead to the normalization of the level of leukocytes. It is also useful to take vitamin and mineral complexes.
Infections and chronic poisoning
If an infection enters the body, the leukocytes rush to fight the foreign agent. White bodies are sent from the blood to the lesion, which is located in the tissues. Leukocytes are formed in this case in sufficient quantities, but theirthe amount in plasma decreases significantly.
Often, when bacteria invade the body, an increase in the number of white cells is noted. This is due to the fact that the hematopoietic system produces protective elements in increased quantities to fight microbes. However, there are times when a person is sick with an infectious pathology, but at the same time, he has low white blood cells. What does it mean? This phenomenon is observed with viruses, as well as with parasitic diseases (chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, helminth infestation). When trying to destroy the infection and parasites, a large number of leukocytes die.
White blood cells can fight more than just infection. They neutralize and toxins entering the body. When using low-quality products, bad ecology or smoking, toxic and harmful substances constantly enter the body. Leukocytes strive to destroy and digest toxins. In this case, a considerable number of white blood cells die.
Hematopoietic disorders
The most dangerous cause of leukopenia is a violation of the formation of white cells. It is always associated with serious illnesses. A decrease in leukocyte production is noted:
- in severe poisoning with chemical compounds (toluene, lead, benzene, arsenic);
- tumors of the bone marrow;
- radiation sickness;
- HIV infections;
- diseases of autoimmune origin;
- treating cancer with chemotherapy;
- genetic disorders (Kostman's syndrome, myelocathexis).
With these diseases, the process of producing white blood cells by the bone marrow is inhibited, which causes leukopenia.
Internal Medicine
In diseases of the liver, spleen and endocrine system, the patient may have low white blood cells. What does it mean? In some cases, this is one of the initial symptoms of pathology. Diseases of the liver and spleen lead to the accumulation of leukocytes in the affected organs. As a result, the amount of white cells in the blood drops.
Also, leukopenia is observed in diseases of the thyroid gland. Endocrine pathologies adversely affect the composition of the blood and can cause the destruction of white bodies.
Decrease in white blood cells in women
Sometimes in he althy women, blood tests reveal low white blood cells. What does this deviation mean and why does it occur? The physiological causes of leukopenia are varied:
- Some women experience pain during menstruation and take large amounts of analgesics on critical days. Excessive and uncontrolled use of such drugs can lead to leukopenia.
- Leukocytes can decrease with hormonal changes. Therefore, a decrease in the number of white cells is often observed in women taking birth control pills with estrogens.
- Leukopenia occurs in patients following an overly strict weight loss diet. In this case, the body creates a deficiency of vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the hematopoietic system.
These reasons are notdangerous. With the abolition of drugs and the normalization of nutrition, leukopenia disappears.
During pregnancy, an increase in the number of white cells is more common. But sometimes during the period of gestation, the analysis shows low white blood cells. What does this deviation from the norm mean? If the patient is he althy, then this may be a sign of beriberi or overwork. It is necessary to pay attention to such a violation and undergo a course of treatment. Leukopenia is very dangerous during pregnancy. A woman's body is defenseless against infections that can affect the development of the fetus.
Leukopenia in children
The content of white cells in the blood of children is usually higher than that of adults. But there are times when leukocytes are lowered in babies. What does it mean? If this phenomenon is noted in infancy, then most often granulocytes are lowered in the blood test. This is one of the varieties of white bodies. This feature is due to the fact that in infants in the body there are antibodies that come with mother's milk. They protect the baby from infections. This condition does not require treatment and does not affect he alth.
If white blood cells are low in the blood of an older child, this may be due to an infection. Leukopenia is noted in the following diseases:
- measles;
- rubella;
- hepatitis;
- paratyphoid;
- brucellosis.
It is not uncommon for parents to give their children antibiotics at the slightest cold. Uncontrolled intake of antibioticsfunds also leads to the fact that the child has low white blood cells.
Symptoms
Decrease in leukocytes entails a deterioration in the body's resistance to various diseases. A person begins to catch colds more often and get food toxic infections. He has weakness and fatigue. Often there is an unreasonable increase in temperature. Lymph nodes may swell and tonsils may grow in the throat.
Every person's body contains microorganisms that, under normal conditions, do not cause any ailments. This is Candida fungus, herpes and papilloma virus. However, with leukopenia, they are activated and become pathogenic. Such microorganisms are called opportunistic pathogens. With a decrease in leukocytes, patients often have genital or oral candidiasis, herpetic eruptions and warts on the skin.
Treatment
If leukopenia is caused by medication, you should consult your doctor about reducing the dosage or changing the drug.
With a decrease in leukocytes associated with malnutrition, you need to pay attention to your diet. You need to eat as many foods rich in folic acid, B vitamins, iron and copper as possible. These include:
- lean meat;
- seafood and fish;
- cheese;
- buckwheat dishes;
- apples;
- leaf crops;
- brussels sprouts and cauliflower;
- legumes;
- walnuts;
- liver.
It is useful to supplement the diet with regular intake of vitamin-mineral complexes.
In more complex cases, treatment of the underlying disease is necessary. It is important to remember that leukopenia is not a separate disease. A decrease in leukocytes is only a symptom of many pathologies. There is no special drug that can increase the number of white blood cells. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo a course of therapy for the disease that caused leukopenia.
Things to keep in mind for the patient
If a person has low white blood cells, this negatively affects the state of immunity. Therefore, the patient needs to protect himself from infections, poisoning, and also from infection with intestinal parasites.
A patient with leukopenia should adhere to the following rules:
- Avoid contact with people with infectious diseases.
- During influenza epidemics, use a gauze bandage and take immunomodulators and vitamins.
- Avoid hypothermia.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
- Remove homemade canned food from your diet to avoid botulism.
- Do not eat expired food.
- Meat and fish dishes should be thoroughly cooked.
- Water and milk should only be consumed boiled.
Leukopenia cannot be ignored. It is necessary to consult a doctor, find out the cause of the decrease in white bodies and, if necessary, undergo a course of treatment.
