High leukocytes or leukocytosis is a medical condition in which a person has too many white blood cell counts. Leukocytosis can be caused by various things, such as: inflammation, infection, allergy, untilblood cancer.
Leukocytes or white blood cells play a role in protecting themselves from infection and disease. When the body is attacked by disease, leukocytes will increase in response to the disease. High leukocytes can be a sign that there is something abnormal in a person's body.
Leukocytosis can be treated with several treatment methods, depending on the cause. Examples are the use of antibiotics to treat infections, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for blood cancer, or antihistamines for allergies.
Normal Leukocyte Count
Leukocytosis occurs when the number of white blood cells in the body is higher than the normal number. Normal white blood cell counts vary depending on age. The following is the normal number of white blood cells per microliter of blood (cells/µL of blood) by age group:
- Newborn: 9,400 – 34,000
- Toddlers (3-5 years): 4,000 – 12,000
- Teenagers (12-15 years): 3,500 – 9,000
- Adult (15 years and over): 3,500 – 10,500
The normal leukocyte count is a combined number of various types of leukocytes, namely neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes.
Symptoms of Leukocytosis
Symptoms of leukocytosis that appear in sufferers vary, depending on the cause. But in general, high leukocytes are characterized by the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Body feels tired and tired
- Sweating at night
- Easier to bruise and bleed
- Drastic weight loss
- Itchy skin and rash
- Hard to breathe
When to go to the doctor
If you experience the above symptoms, please visit your doctor immediately so that further examination can be done. Leukocytosis is known when the doctor performs laboratory tests on the patient. In addition to blood tests, other supporting tests will also be carried out by the doctor to determine the cause of the symptoms.
Under certain conditions, such as leukemia, severe infections, rejection of transplanted organs, sepsis, or tumors, leukocytes can rise too high to above 100,000 cells per microliter. This condition can make blood flow to be disrupted, or what is called leukostasis (hyperviscosity syndrome).
Hyperviscosity syndrome is rare but is an emergency, and should be treated by a doctor immediately. Immediately go to the ER if you suffer from the above conditions and the following symptoms of leukostasis occur:
- Visual disturbances.
- Bleeding in the mouth, stomach, and intestines.
- Stroke symptoms.
- Hard to breathe.
Causes of Leukocytosis
In general, leukocytosis occurs due to the following factors:
- Drug reactions that increase the production of white blood cells.
- Increased production of white blood cells to fight infection.
- An immune system disorder that increases the production of white blood cells.
- Abnormal production of white blood cells due to disorders in the bone marrow.
Some examples of conditions or diseases that make high leukocytes are:
- Smoking habit.
- Stress.
- Allergies, especially severe allergies.
- Bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis and whooping cough (pertussis).
- Certain medications, such as corticosteroids and epinephrine.
- Rheumatoid arthritis,
- Have had surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy).
- Polycythemia vera.
- Leukemia.
Diagnosis of Leukocytosis
To diagnose leukocytosis, the doctor will ask several questions about the patient's symptoms, the patient's medical history, the types of drugs used, and whether the patient has allergies or not. After that, the doctor will perform a physical examination to check for abnormalities in the patient's body.
The doctor will also take a sample of the patient's blood to be analyzed using a complete blood count method, so that the number and type of white blood cells can be known. Blood samples will also be examined through a blood smear (peripheral blood smear), to determine the dominant type of white blood cell.
Doctors can also perform other supporting tests if it is felt that the cause of leukocytosis in the patient is still unclear. Additional tests that the patient may undergo include:
- Sputum examination or chest X-ray, to see if there is an infection that causes a high white blood cell count.
- Bone marrow aspiration, to find out if there are abnormalities in the bone marrow, such as in leukemia patients.
- Genetic testing, to determine whether leukocytosis is caused by genetic changes.
Leukocytosis Treatment
Treatment to lower the white blood cell count depends on the cause. Some examples of leukocytosis treatment are:
- Antibiotic drugs, if the leukocytosis is caused by a bacterial infection.
- Antihistamines, if the leukocytosis is caused by an allergic reaction.
- Discontinuation or replacement of the drug, if the leukocytosis is caused by a side effect of the drug.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (anti-inflammatory), if the leukocytosis is caused by inflammation.
- Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and bone marrow transplant, if the leukocytosis is caused by leukemia.
Leukocytosis Complications
Complications of leukocytosis are leukostasis or blood hyperviscosity syndrome. Leukostasis occurs when the white blood cell count exceeds 100,000 cells/µL of blood. This condition can result in impaired blood flow, even stroke.
In patients with blood hyperviscosity syndrome, the doctor will perform leukapheresis to reduce the white blood cell count. This procedure is done with a special tool that can separate white blood cells from other blood cells, to then be removed from the body.
Leukocytosis Prevention
Prevention of leukocytosis depends on the cause. These preventive measures include:
- Avoid things that trigger allergies.
- Quit smoking.
- Implement a clean and healthy lifestyle to prevent infection.
- Do not take drugs carelessly, especially drugs for inflammation. Take the medicine according to the doctor's instructions.