Neutropenia is a condition where a person has a low amount of neutrophils, which can lead to a higher risk of infections. Causes include underlying health problems, bone marrow abnormalities, cancer, certain drugs, and autoimmune disorders.
Neutropenia is a condition in which a person does not have a high enough amount of neutrophils in their blood. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that are mainly responsible for protecting the body from bacteria, fungi and other foreign substances. People who have neutropenia tend to have a much higher risk of developing infections and illnesses. The causes of neutropenia tend to be other underlying health problems which can end up destroying the neutrophils.
One possible cause of neutropenia is an underlying congenital condition that causes abnormalities in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is a substance found in bones that helps make blood cells. Some conditions can prevent the bone marrow from fully producing blood cells. These conditions include mylocathexis, a condition that causes a decrease in the amount of white blood cells, and Kostmann syndrome, in which a person is born with almost no neutrophils in their blood. Conditions affecting the bone marrow tend to be present at birth and are thought to be the result of genetic abnormalities.
Cancer is another potential cause of neutropenia. Certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma and leukemia, can cause abnormal cancer cells to accumulate in the bone marrow and prevent it from producing neutrophils effectively. Chemotherapy and radiation, two of the most common treatments used to destroy cancer cells, can also damage bone marrow functioning as a side effect and can lead to neutropenia.
Some drugs can interfere with the bone marrow’s production of neutrophils. Antibiotic medications, commonly used to treat infections caused by bacteria, can negatively affect how well the bone marrow works. Diuretics have also been found to be one of the potential causes of neutropenia. Diuretics, often referred to as water pills, are a class of medications that cause a person to urinate more than normal to remove excessive amounts of water and salt from the body, and can be used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart and liver disease. Other drugs that can cause neutropenia as a side effect include penicillin, some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
Autoimmune disorders, conditions in which the body begins to attack its own substances as if they were harmful antibodies such as bacteria, viruses or fungi, can also be a cause of neutropenia. Rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that causes severe stiffness and pain primarily in the joints, is one of the more common autoimmune diseases that can contribute to neutropenia. Other autoimmune diseases that may be associated with neutropenia include lupus and Felty’s syndrome.
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