Overview
Leukocytes represent a variety of cells derived from myeloid and lymphoid lineages that perform a variety of immune functions.
Normal Range
- Males: 3.7 - 9.5 x 10⁹/L
- Female: 3.9 - 11.1 x 10⁹/L
Leukocytosis
Leukocytosis refers to an increase in circulating white blood cells. This may be due to infection, inflammation, malignancy or certain other conditions.
Causes of Leukocytosis
- Stress leukocytosis - vigorous exercise, emotional stress, seizure
- Infection - viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic
- Inflammation - necrosis, infarction, surgery, burns, autoimmune disease
- Malignancy - leukaemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, solid organ malignancies
- Drugs - corticosteroids, beta agonists
- Post splenectomy
- Heavy smoking
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Allergy
Leukopaenia
Leukopaenia refers to a reduction in circulating white blood cells. Leukopaenia is almost always caused by neutropaenia, lymphopaenia, or both.
Causes of Leukopaenia
- Congenital - congenital neutropaenias, primary immunodeficiency disorders
- Bone marrow pathology - aplastic anaemia, myelofibrosis, myelodysplasia, acute leukaemia, LGL leukaemia, lymphoma, cancer metastasis
- Infection - viral, bacterial, rickettsial, fungal, severe sepsis
- Autoimmune - primary autoimmune neutropaenia, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis (Felty's syndrome)
- Drugs (dose-related or idiosyncratic) - cytotoxic chemotherapy, NSAIDs, methotrexate, azathioprine, sulfasalazine, clozapine, many others
- Dietary deficiency - B12, folate, copper, zinc, alcohol abuse, severe malnutrition
- Chronic idiopathic neutropaenia
- Hypersplenism
- Sarcoidosis
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