What are the symptoms of leukopenia?

Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Leukopenia is a common hematological disorder that can occur at any age. It is defined as leukopenia when the total number of white blood cells in the peripheral blood consistently falls below four times ten to the ninth power per liter. The onset of this disease is usually gradual with mild symptoms such as fatigue, palpitations, dizziness, low fever, prone to pharyngitis or mucosal ulcerations, and also includes loss of appetite, limb fatigue, insomnia with frequent dreams, and a cold stomach and backache. It makes one more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections such as colds. If leukopenia is caused by an infection, common symptoms include high fever, chills, and body aches. If the total number of white blood cells is significantly reduced, with an absolute neutrophil count below 0.5 times ten to the ninth power per liter, it is referred to as neutropenia. In such cases, the patient may experience chills, high fever, sore throat, headache, joint pain, and in severe cases, even coma and death.

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Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
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What are the dangers of leukopenia?

Leukopenia is a relatively common hematological disease that can occur at any age. It is characterized by a persistent peripheral blood white blood cell count below 4×10^9/L. The onset of the disease is mostly slow, with mild symptoms. Common symptoms include fatigue, palpitations, dizziness, and pharyngitis, making individuals more susceptible to pharyngitis or mucosal ulceration. Other symptoms include reduced appetite, limb soreness, insomnia, and frequent dreaming. Individuals with leukopenia are also more prone to viral and bacterial infections. Some infections can lead to severe symptoms such as high fever, chills, and body aches. However, if there is a significant decrease in the total number of white blood cells, with the absolute neutrophil count dropping below 0.5×10^9/L, this condition is referred to as neutropenia. In such cases, symptoms may include chills, high fever, sore throat, headache, joint pain, and in severe cases, it can even lead to death.

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Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
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What are the causes of leukopenia?

When the white blood cell count in peripheral blood is below 4.0 times 10 to the ninth power per liter, it is termed leukopenia. According to the cause, it can be divided into the following three aspects: First, disturbance in the production of white blood cells, including reduced proliferation of stem cells or regeneration disorders. Second, excessive destruction of white blood cells, such as from infections or immunological factors, leading to increased destruction of white blood cells. Third, abnormal distribution of white blood cells, due to various reasons, causes an increase in white blood cells in the marginal pool and a decrease in the circulating pool, which can also lead to leukopenia.

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Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
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Is leukopenia leukemia?

Leukopenia is not necessarily indicative of leukemia. There are many causes for a decrease in white blood cells, some of which can be due to medications. Currently, many drugs can cause a reduction in white blood cells, and in such cases, stopping the drug will typically allow the white blood cells to return to normal. A second scenario, especially in patients with an enlarged spleen or those suffering from cirrhosis, can also lead to a decrease in white blood cells. In these cases, it is mainly the abnormal function of the spleen that causes the reduction in white cells. Additionally, there are blood-related diseases, which might be leukemia or other types of blood disorders. In these situations, not only is there a reduction in white blood cells, but there is also a decrease in hemoglobin and platelets. Moreover, a significant increase in white blood cells is also a manifestation of leukemia, thus a decrease in white cells is not definitively indicative of leukemia.

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Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
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Is leukopenia very harmful?

Leukopenia primarily depends on the extent of the decrease in white blood cells, which can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe levels. Mild leukopenia generally means less than 4.0 X 10⁹/L, and if granulocytes are decreased, it typically means an absolute value of granulocytes less than 2.0 X 10⁹/L. A lack of granulocytes indicates a more severe condition, usually less than 0.5 X 10⁹/L. For patients with mild leukopenia, special preventive measures are generally not necessary. However, for moderate and severe leukopenia, the greatest risk is an increased chance of infection, as white blood cells are a marker of our ability to defend against external threats. With fewer of these defensive guards, the probability of resisting infections and the chance of acquiring infections significantly increase. Therefore, for patients with moderate leukopenia, their rate of infection increases, and it is important to take precautions, reduce visits to public places, maintain hygiene, and eliminate chronic infectious foci. For patients with severe leukopenia, aseptic isolation measures should be adopted. For patients who have infections, it is crucial to find sensitive antibiotics, preferably broad-spectrum antibiotics. If there is a concurrent fungal or viral infection, antifungal or antiviral medications should also be used, as the decrease in white blood cells can destroy a person's immune capacity, lowering immunity and increasing the chance of infections and the invasion of pathogenic bacteria, which in severe cases could even lead to sepsis or septic shock.

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Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
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What causes leukopenia?

When the white blood cell count in the surrounding blood continuously remains below 4.0*10^9/L, we call this condition leukopenia. Typical symptoms of leukopenia include dizziness, fatigue, limb soreness, reduced appetite, and listlessness, although some patients may not exhibit any obvious clinical symptoms. The causes of leukopenia are very complex and can be classified into two main categories: primary and secondary. Primary leukopenia refers to cases where the cause is unknown, while secondary leukopenia refers to cases potentially caused by acute infections or physical and chemical factors, or diseases of the hematopoietic system, connective tissue diseases, allergic diseases, or genetic diseases, all of which may lead to a reduction in white blood cells.