The etiology and management of leukopenia

Leukopenia is an abnormal reduction of circulating white blood cells, especially the granulocytes. The term leukopenia is often used interchangeably with neutropenia. It may result from reduced production of white blood cells or increased utilization and destruction, or both. Infection, drugs, malignancy, megaloblastosis, hypersplenism and immunoneutropenia are responsible for most cases of neutropenia. Primary neutropenia is very rare. Sometimes, particularly in children, primary neutropenia is hereditary and may be associated with other developmental defects. The major danger of neutropenia is the risk of infection. Management requires identification of the cause and effective antimicrobial therapy, especially when serious systemic infection is present.