A persistent peripheral blood leukocyte count below 3.5 x 109/L is called leukopenia. There are various causes of low leukocytes, and the risk to the body is related to the degree of leukopenia.
There are many causes of leukopenia, including excessive depletion of leukocytes at the site of inflammation due to certain viral infections or sepsis, or the destruction of leukocytes in the body due to autoimmune diseases such as hypersplenism, certain hepatitis or systemic lupus erythematosus. Certain diseases that affect the body’s hematopoietic stem cells, such as aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, myeloma, and other neoplastic diseases can affect the production and maturation of white blood cells, resulting in a decrease in white blood cells. In addition, when the body is exposed to chemical toxins, ionizing radiation and certain drugs, the hematopoietic environment can also be damaged, inhibiting leukocyte production.
According to the degree of neutropenia, neutropenia can be classified as mild (neutrophils ≥1.0×109/L), moderate (neutrophils (0.5-1.0)×109/L) and severe (neutrophils <0.5×109/L). Patients with mild neutropenia may not have specific clinical symptoms, or may only have mild discomfort such as low fever and malaise. Moderately and severely reduced patients are prone to infections and non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness and loss of appetite. As can be seen, there are various causes of low leukocytes, and the danger to the human body is related to the degree of leukocyte reduction. When blood tests indicate that the number of leukocytes is consistently lower than normal, prompt consultation should be made, combined with the patient’s medical history and relevant examinations and laboratory tests to clarify the diagnosis and then treat accurately. In case of neutrophil deficiency combined with fever, potentially fatal complications may occur and immediate medical attention should be sought.