Exceeding the norm of leukocytes in the blood (leukocytosis) is an indicator that a pathological process is occurring in the body. But it may also be due to normal, physiological processes. Leukocytes are one of the types of blood cells, white blood cells, which are the most important component of the body's immune defense. These cells destroy pathogenic agents and foreign bodies that enter the body.
In an adult healthy person the blood contains about 4-9x109/l leukocytes. This level is not constant, but changes depending on the time of day and the state of the body. Causes high content Leukocytes in the blood can be divided into two groups: physiological and pathological. So, let's look at why leukocytes in the blood are elevated.
Causes of elevated white blood cells in an adult
In healthy people, as a normal reaction to certain factors, the level of white blood cells may increase, which is a temporary phenomenon that does not require any treatment. This may occur due to the factors discussed below.
Hearty meal
In this situation increased concentration Leukocytes are created to prevent possible infection or toxic substances. Even if the food is actually fresh and healthy, the level of white blood cells in the blood increases “just in case.”
Similar to myogenic leukocytosis, increased levels of white blood cells are observed during stressful situations, especially life-threatening ones. Thus immune defense also prepares for possible injury.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, excess leukocyte norms are associated with the following factors:
- an increase in the volume of all circulating blood;
- strengthening the body’s defense response to prevent possible infection, etc.
What affects the pathological increase in leukocytes?
Let's consider possible reasons an increase in the number of leukocytes and their individual groups (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes) associated with pathological processes in the body:
1. An increase in the absolute number of neutrophils indicates a bacterial infection, a long-term inflammatory process, and sometimes a cancer disease.
2. An increase in eosinophil levels is most often associated with allergic reactions or helminthic infestations. In some cases, this may be due to taking medicines, less often – inflammatory processes.
3. An increased content of basophils in the blood is a sign of allergic reactions, as well as problems gastrointestinal tract, spleen, thyroid gland.
4. The absolute number of lymphocytes in the blood increases during various infections:
A persistent increase in leukocytes is characteristic feature chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
5. An increase in monocyte levels is more often associated with infectious diseases caused by bacteria, rickettsia and protozoa, on early stages recovery. But this may also indicate long-term tuberculosis and cancer. A stable increase in the number of monocytes is characteristic of myelomonocytic and monocytic in chronic form.
Leukocytes are also called white blood cells or white blood. They are responsible for the human immune system, a barrier established by the body against diseases, toxins, various viruses and harmful bacteria.
Types of leukocytes
Cells of the leukocyte series have several functions, each group is responsible for certain functions of the body. There are five of them in total:
Leukocytes are commonly called white blood cells. If you look through a microscope, you find that they are purple with a pink tint.
Leukocyte norm
The average leukocyte formula indicators are as follows:
White blood cells are difficult to calculate and the limit values depend on many indicators, so the decoding always includes a range from the maximum permissible to the minimum value. Doctors always take into account the following factors:
- what lifestyle does a person lead: diet; % presence on fresh air, Availability stressful situations and other;
- what time are tests taken: morning, afternoon, evening; seasonality;
- patient's age: in a teenager, a child, the indicators are higher than in an adult;
- among women separate group The period of pregnancy and childbirth is underway.
An increase in leukocyte cells is called leukocytosis and has a number of its own characteristics.
Elevated white blood cells - common causes
There are quite a few reasons why leukocytes in the blood are elevated in men and women. They are mainly divided into 2 large groups:
- pathology;
- physiology.
Each case of deviation from the norm is considered separately, based on the overall clinical picture.
Physiological reasons for upward changes in indicators include:
An increased content of leukocytes in such cases is accompanied by deviations in other indicators, such as platelets, erythrocytes, ESR.
When should treatment begin?
If physiological disturbances leukocyte formula in adults, removable without use medical supplies, then pathological ones need serious treatment. These include:
In a newborn due to imperfection immune system There may be an increase in white blood cells, which disappears by the age of three and does not require treatment. In adults, an increase of 2-4 times in indicators should be accompanied by immediate treatment.
Men are most susceptible to changes in their blood count between the ages of 45 and 75 years.
High white blood cell count in women
In addition to the above reasons, women have an additional number of reasons for which changes occur:
By nature, a woman is more susceptible to hormonal surges: menstrual cycles, childbirth, infant feeding, increased emotionality. All this is directly related to the composition of the blood and, in particular, to its leukocyte part.
In older people, regardless of gender, leukocytes are low, so leukocytosis practically does not occur in this group.
Other causes of increased white blood cells
Other conditions under which leukocytosis develops may include temporary factors:
The leukocyte composition of an animal increases significantly when there is a feeling of danger, so the body prepares for destruction foreign bodies And faster healing wound The principle of operation in humans in this case is very similar. In all these cases, the increase is within the acceptable range and normalizes to optimal levels on its own.
Reasons for the highest rates
If some indicators of the leukocyte formula are exceeded tens of times, then this is a signal about serious illnesses, requiring urgent, strong drug treatment. For example, neutrophilic leukocytosis with numbers of 50-100*109 units/l indicates myeloid leukemia.
The reasons may be:
- tuberculosis;
- sepsis, severe infection;
- malignant tumors;
- severe forms of hepatitis.
A significant excess of the norm of eosophils indicates a struggle with a constantly exposed allergen, for example, some regularly taken medication.
Stable, persistent monocytosis becomes a harbinger chronic forms tuberculosis or progressive cancer.
A change in leukocyte counts is only a consequence of ongoing internal processes of struggle. When the cause is identified through additional examinations, doctors make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. For cleanliness clinical picture 2-3 weeks after detection of violations, a repeat blood draw is scheduled.
The number of white blood cells in a person’s blood (indicated as “WBC”) varies depending on age and influencing factors, is detected during a general blood test and may differ from the norm (reference values).
Norm of leukocytes in the blood
The number of leukocytes in the blood allows us to talk about the processes occurring in the body and any deviation from the norm should deserve close attention. Using the table below, you can determine the norm of leukocytes in the blood for your age.
The norm of leukocytes in the blood of adults ranges from 4.5 to 11.0 x10^9/l.
At the same time, in children, the number of leukocytes constantly changes as they grow older, for example, if the norm of leukocytes in newborn children is 6-17.5 x10^9/l (it is noteworthy that the number changes even hourly), then in children aged 4 years the level of leukocytes in the blood decreases to 5.5 - 15.5 x10^9/l, and upon reaching 8 years, the number of leukocytes in the child’s blood reaches 4.5-13.5 x10^9/l.
The number of leukocytes in the blood from 1 to 15 years of age gradually decreases, until the age of 20 when it stabilizes, and then there is a gradual decrease in the number of leukocytes, with slightly more leukocytes being detected in men than in women. Notably, white blood cell counts are slightly higher in white people than in black people due to the higher number of neutrophils in the blood.
The number of leukocytes in pregnant women constantly increases in proportion to the duration of pregnancy and the load on the body expectant mother, and on last weeks An elevated level of white blood cells in the blood is considered normal.
The following table shows the norms of leukocytes in the fetus.
Blood for analysis is taken percutaneously from the umbilical cord.
Symptoms of leukocytosis
A condition in which elevated leukocytes in the blood are detected above 9 x10^9/l is called leukocytosis.
Typically, leukocytosis is detected when donating blood for a general analysis, and symptoms may not appear.
Symptoms of increased leukocytes in the blood are mild, these include slight increase body temperature, lack of appetite, insomnia, excessive body sweating. But the presence of these symptoms does not mean the presence of leukocytosis; in order to determine an increase in the level of leukocytes in the blood, it is required laboratory test blood.
Causes of leukocytosis
Let's figure out what an increase in the number of leukocytes in the blood means, how dangerous it is, determine why the level of leukocytes in the blood is elevated and describe further steps in treating this condition (and whether it needs to be treated at all).
To begin with, it must be said that the content of leukocytes in the blood constantly changes during the day, it is influenced by various factors, starting from the load or time of day and ending pathological diseases body. Therefore, leukocytosis is usually divided into 2 types: physiological and pathological.
Physiological leukocytosis
So, physiological or natural leukocytosis includes cases of an increase in the number of leukocytes in the blood for reasons not related to the presence of pathologies (diseases) in the body.
- Stress is intense feelings emotional disorders and nervous overload are difficult conditions for our body and it can respond to stress by increasing leukocytes in the blood, since leukocytes play a protective role in the body
- Fever, pain
- Smoking - this habit can also be attributed to the stress experienced by the body
- Heavy physical activity and sports - in people, especially men, who regularly engage in heavy physical activity physical work or going in for sports, the number of leukocytes in the blood may also increase, while the level of leukocytes returns to normal after the person has rested and the body has recovered
- Anesthesia
- Pregnancy - elevated leukocytes in the blood of women during pregnancy can be observed in the second half of pregnancy, especially in later. Don't worry about this, this is the norm. In pregnant women, the body experiences stress and responds with a similar reaction. A similar reaction also occurs during the premenstrual period.
- Electroshock
- Overheating of the body - among bathhouse and sauna lovers, the number of leukocytes in the blood also increases, this also happens to people whose working conditions imply high temperatures ambient air
- Exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet) rays
- Nutrition - in some people, the number of white blood cells in the blood may be related to the amount of food consumed. But it is important to know that in this case, leukocytes do not exceed 12x10^9/l
Causes of physiological leukocytosis:
Summarizing the above, it is necessary to remember that an increase in leukocytes in the blood of an adult can be observed against the background of the reasons described above, therefore, if you receive test results with an exceeded value of the leukocyte indicator in the blood, you should not rush to panic, but first of all you need to analyze your life for the presence of provoking factors. factors, and it is best to refrain from severe physical activity, overeating, smoking and taking hot procedures, and donate blood on an empty stomach.
It is important to remember that in children the norm of leukocytes in the blood is higher than in an adult. High leukocytes in a newborn are normal; their number can reach 30 x10^9/l/
If a child has elevated white blood cells (above the child norm) in the absence of physiological reasons (physical and emotional overload of the baby), then this may indicate the presence of an infection in the body or the development of leukemia (see pathological leukocytosis).
Pathological leukocytosis
The body reacts to the presence of pathology by increasing leukocytes in the blood. For example, most often the reason elevated white blood cells lies in the inflammatory (infectious or aseptic) process in the human body.
- Moderate leukocytosis - leukocytes more than 10 x10^9/l
- Severe leukocytosis - leukocytes 40-80 x10^9/l
- Particularly pronounced leukocytosis - leukocytes 100 x10^9/l
Pathological leukocytosis:
- infectious inflammatory process
- acute blood loss
- radiation sickness
- taking certain medications
- malignant cancer of the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, blood, liver
- poisoning with aniline or nitrobenzene
- leukemia
Causes of pathological increase in leukocytes in the blood:
Diseases such as pneumonia, pyelonephritis, parotitis, chicken pox, meningitis, viral hepatitis, lymphoma, Infectious mononucleosis or lymphocytosis always cause an increase in leukocytes in the blood (moderate leukocytosis over 10 x10^9/l). In addition, the level of leukocytes is increased by inflammatory diseases that occur against the background of the activity of microorganisms, for example phlegmon, peritonitis).
The most common cause of leukocytosis is caused by exposure to coccal infections (pneumococcus, staphylococcus, gonococcus, streptococcus), diphtheria bacillus or coli. In this case, the number of leukocytes increases to 15-20 x10^9/l, that is, moderate leukocytosis appears. In addition, moderate leukocytosis is found in acute catarrhal, gangrenous or phlegmonous appendicitis(no more than 20 x10^9/l).
Severe leukocytosis (40-80 x10^9/l) occurs with scarlet fever, sepsis, severe burns of a large percentage skin, at acute bleeding, acute attack of gout, rupture of the spleen. Severe leukocytosis also occurs after abortion (up to 25 x10^9/l).
For infectious diseases, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treatment according to the treatment regimen.
Particularly pronounced leukocytosis (100 x10^9/l) is detected in acute or chronic leukemia. Used to treat leukemia radiation therapy and transfusion healthy blood to the patient.
Absence of leukocytosis (increased white blood cells in the blood) during acute phase infectious disease indicates the body’s weak resistance to infection, this is an unfavorable sign of the course of the disease, this should be addressed Special attention. Also, the absence of an increase in leukocytes in the blood occurs in people with weakened immunity, in people suffering from alcohol or drug addiction.
But not all infections lead to an increase in the number of leukocytes in the blood; there are some infectious diseases, the course of which causes a decrease in leukocytes in the blood, for example, measles, influenza, typhoid fever, brucellosis, rubella, viral hepatitis or malaria.
Inflammatory diseases of non-microbial origin, such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as severe burns, large volumes of blood loss through bleeding, uremia due to renal failure can also lead to leukocytosis.
A separate point worth considering oncological diseases(malignant tumors). The point is that when cancerous tumors indeed, the number of leukocytes increases, however, in the presence of metastases in Bone marrow there may be a disruption in the hematopoietic process, which leads to a decrease in the level of leukocytes below normal.
Leukocytosis to a level of 15 - 20 x10^9/l is observed when surgical removal spleen (splenectomy), which reveals an increase in the number of neutrophils to 85-90%.
Leukemia in leukemic and subleukemic forms causes pronounced leukocytosis, over 50-80 ×10^9/l leukocytes.
Is it possible to lower leukocytes in the blood?
There are no special medications or procedures aimed at reducing the number of white blood cells in the blood. The fact is that the level of leukocytes in the blood only speaks about the patient’s health status, being its indicator, and decreases after eliminating the causes that led to the increase in leukocytes. After detecting an increase in the number of leukocytes in the blood above the norm, it is necessary diagnostic examination body, if a disease is detected, a diagnosis is made by the attending physician and strict adherence to the recommended treatment. If physiological leukocytosis is diagnosed (an increase in white blood cells for natural reasons), then it is recommended to put your diet in order, get rid of accumulated stress and give the body a rest.
Video on the topic
Leukocytes- These are peculiar guardians of the immune system that do not allow infection to spread throughout the body. Such cells are often called white blood cells, although their colors are completely different.
As soon as some microorganism gets into the wound, the blood levels increase. However, experts warn that it is not always necessary to take action if leukocytes in the blood are elevated.
Leukocytes and their responsibilities
The leukocyte is a white-pink formation that resists infections. Normally, it is contained in the blood in small quantities, and is responsible for its production lymphatic system and bone marrow. The lifespan of cells does not exceed 12 days.
What do leukocytes look like?
After this, they are destroyed in the spleen, and they are replaced by young ones.
When a source of threat appears, the cells begin to actively multiply. They create a protective barrier that prevents the infection from penetrating further. Inflammation occurs at the site of the collision between leukocytes and the source of the threat, and all indicators in the tests are elevated.
Regardless of the type of threat, the same protection is created. When the reason for the increase is an ordinary splinter, purulent inflammation goes away on its own. If leukocytes are elevated due to ingestion pathogenic microorganisms, the situation is getting worse. Without qualified medical care the patient's condition worsens.
Signs of increased leukocytes
- Weakness.
- Increased fatigue.
- Heavy sweating.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Loss of appetite.
- Loss of body weight.
- Muscle and joint pain.
Enlarged white blood cells can manifest themselves in other ways, since it all depends on the provoking factor. Often high levels indicate temporary problems in the body. It is also necessary to remember in the right order taking tests, from what the result depends.
What can affect the results of the analysis?
If a person engaged in physical labor or ate a heavy meal before donating blood, high level he is provided with leukocytes. To avoid receiving false information, follow simple rules.
How to take the test correctly:
- Blood is donated on an empty stomach.
- Absence physical activity before the procedure.
- Prohibition on taking any medications on the day of the examination.
It is advisable to take it the evening before donating blood. light dinner so that white blood cells are not elevated due to food. You should also avoid training if it usually occurs in the afternoon.
Norm of leukocytes in the blood
When leukocytes are higher than normal, this means that an inflammatory process is occurring in the body. However, there may be variations in results depending on gender, age and general well-being person.
White blood cell information for different categories
If he comes to the appointment a common person middle age, then the results should not be increased to 9 units. When an adult's white blood cell count is greater than 10, the condition is called leukocytosis. It can be called for various reasons, depending on which appropriate measures are taken.
Also for staging more accurate diagnosis it is necessary to establish which types of leukocytes exceeded. Each type is responsible for its own area, so the likelihood of error when prescribing treatment becomes minimal.
If a specialist doubts why leukocytes are increased, he prescribes a detailed analysis. The patient is also interviewed to exclude the influence of physiological factors.
Reasons for the increase in indicators
Most often, an increased number of white blood cells is found during a cold.
There are also completely harmless causes of elevated white blood cells:
- Hard physical labor.
- Excessive consumption of meat products.
- Taking certain medications.
- Stressful situations.
- Overwork.
- Taking hot and cold baths.
- Getting vaccinated.
- Change of climate zone.
- Prolonged exposure to the sun.
If a person comes to the laboratory tired or after strenuous exercise, there may be a slight increase in the number of white blood cells.
In such cases, no medical intervention, as the body recovers quickly. It is enough just to exclude the influence negative factors, as the examination results return to normal.
Reasons for women:
- Pregnancy.
- Premenstrual syndrome.
Women react more sharply to external stimuli, so they often have an increased rate of leukocytes in the blood. If other data does not change, then no special measures should be taken.
When the level of white blood cells increases 2-3 times, we speak of pathological processes. To eliminate errors, it is necessary to donate blood again after a few days.
What do elevated white blood cells mean?
- Infectious disorders.
- Inflammatory diseases of infectious and non-infectious nature.
- Myocardial, pulmonary and serious pathologies other organs.
- The appearance of malignant neoplasms.
- Severe burns.
- Large blood loss.
- Proliferative diseases of hematopoiesis.
To clarify the diagnosis, detailed information is required. They indicate which types of white blood cells are elevated.
If the neutrophil count is elevated
Then the following states are possible:
- Acute inflammatory process.
- Intoxication.
- Bleeding.
- Acute myocardial infarction.
When eosinophils are elevated
Basophils
Can only be increased in conjunction with other indicators. Their number increases in blood diseases, pathologies digestive system or allergic reactions. Diagnosis is also possible chronic sinusitis and Hodgkin's disease.
Monocyte level is increased
For long periods infectious processes in organism. The highest rates are found in chronic monocytic leukemia. Normal indicators change with syphilis, tuberculosis, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Attention! An increase in leukocytes in a child must be considered individually. Such changes may be a reaction to the introduction of complementary foods or changes in environmental conditions.
In each specific case, the doctor prescribes additional types of examination to determine the location of the inflammation.
How to treat leukocytosis
Only a specialist can determine. Elevated white blood cells are not treated unless the condition is caused by a pathological malfunction in the body. In such cases, white blood cells perceive their cells as foreign.
Systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid polyarthritis develop according to this principle. To defeat the disease, drugs are prescribed that block the production of leukocytes.
If you have had an operation to transplant donor tissues or organs, you may experience increased production of white blood cells. They interfere with recovery, so they are blocked for a while. When the transplanted tissues take root, the medications are stopped and the functioning circulatory system normalizes.
In most cases, it is enough to find the source of inflammation and treat the underlying disease. Necessary full examination, since the cause of increased leukocytes can be both carious teeth and malignant neoplasms. Because of this, self-medication is prohibited, and taking medications without the supervision of specialists will only worsen the condition.
Video: Leukocytes. White blood formula.
The main mechanism for determining the current level of leukocytes in the blood is a complete blood count. Average rate V in this case ranges from 5.5 to 8.8 * 10^9 units per liter, however, the figure varies depending on a number of factors, including both the calculation methodology of a particular laboratory and age.
The norm of leukocytes in the blood depending on age
- Newborns, from one to three days– from 7 to 32*10^9 units per liter.
- Age less than one year - from 6 to 17.5 * 10^9 units per liter.
- Age from one to two years - from 6 to 17*10^9 units per liter.
- Ages from two to six years - from 5 to 15.5 * 10^9 units per liter.
- Ages from six to sixteen years - from 4.5 to 13.5 * 10^9 units per liter.
- Ages from sixteen to 21 years – from 4.5 to 11*10^9 units per liter.
- Adults (men) – from 4.2 to 9*10^9 units per liter.
- Adults (women) - from 3.98 to 10.4 * 10^9 units per liter.
- Elderly (men) - from 3.9 to 8.5 * 10^9 units per liter.
- Elderly (women) - from 3.7 to 9*10^9 units per liter.
Exceeding the above indicators is leukocytosis.
What does an increased level of leukocytes in the blood mean?
It should be noted that the number of leukocytes in the blood mass is not a static value and is constantly changing, while both diseases and physiological factors, for example, eating certain foods, physical/emotional stress, sudden temperature fluctuations.
By analogy, leukocytosis can be caused by physiological reasons and manifest itself in a healthy person, or act as a consequence of a disease. In the latter case, an increase in the level of white blood cells by several thousand units usually indicates the presence of inflammation in the body, while an increase in the concentration of hundreds of thousands and millions of units of white blood cells is often an indicator of leukemia
Causes of elevated white blood cells
In children and newborns
In children and newborns, leukocytosis usually has no symptoms at all and can only be diagnosed by general analysis blood. In children up to three to five days old, an elevated level of leukocytes usually indicates congenital leukemia, since inflammatory processes in this period are very unlikely. Congenital leukemia itself is considered a rare pathology and usually it accompanies serious developmental anomalies of the baby - body defects, heart defects, Down's disease and other anomalies.
In children aged one year and older, the most common reasons increases in the level of leukocytes in the blood are:
- Infectious diseases.
- Strong emotional stress.
- Irrational diet.
- Serious regular physical activity.
- Acute leukemia.
In adults
- Increased level of leukocytes during pregnancy. Women in interesting position have weakened immunity, their hormonal system messed up. As a result, severe anxiety/stress can lead to an increase in the level of leukocytes in the blood, viral infections(pneumonia or smallpox) allergic manifestations, damage to the epithelium in any part of the body, inflammatory processes, tumors and metastases. Also, in some cases, pregnant women are diagnosed with physiological leukocytosis, usually caused by severe toxicosis representatives of the fair sex are in an interesting position.
- In men. In men, the main cause of leukocytosis is most often inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs, as well as lesions Bladder and kidneys. In addition, the level of leukocytes can rise due to severe physical exertion, poor nutrition, removal of the spleen, or taking a number of medications.
- Among women. The physiological reason for the increase in the level of leukocytes in women is the premenstrual period. Among the physiological causes of the problem, it is also worth noting the regular use of too hot or cold baths and poor nutrition. Pathologically, leukocytosis in women is caused by infections, damage to cells of the immune system, inflammatory diseases viral and bacterial nature, burns, malignant formations, arthritis and lupus, large blood loss, proliferative diseases, diabetic coma and uremia.
Foods that increase white blood cell levels
Basic products that increase the level of leukocytes:
- Fermented milk products.
- Low-fat varieties meat, fish, as well as various offal.
- Seafood.
- Porridge – oatmeal, buckwheat, rice.
- Fruits, vegetables: greens, carrots, grapes, pomegranate and fresh juices of them.
- Tinctures based on sweet clover, motherwort, plantain.
What to do if your white blood cell count is high?
First of all, undergo an examination, take a test and find out your current leukocyte level. If necessary and suspected pathological character elevated levels of leukocytes in the blood, you will most likely be prescribed full diagnostics which helps to identify the real reason leukocytosis.
If the problem is physiological in nature, then you should avoid strong emotional/physical stress, large changes in body temperature, and normalize your diet.
In the case when leukocytosis is caused by pathology, the main way to combat it will be to eliminate the cause, i.e. the disease that caused it. Most often, the following are used for these purposes:
- Antibiotics wide range actions to combat infection and possible sepsis.
- Corticosteroids for effective temporary relief inflammatory process.
- Antacids.
- Supporting gastrointestinal tract, liver, almost heart, therapy.
- Leukapheresis is the process of clearing the bloodstream of excess white blood cells.
Any procedures and therapy for leukocytosis are prescribed exclusively by a hematologist specializing in blood diseases.
How to lower white blood cells?
You can effectively lower the level of leukocytes in the blood only by curing the disease that caused leukocytosis. If the increase in the level of leukocytes in the blood is caused by physiological reason, then try to normalize your daily routine and go on a diet, eliminating daily diet spicy, smoked and fried. Limit your meat intake and try to eat small portions. Avoid these bad habits like smoking and alcohol.
Useful video
Elena Malysheva about leukocytes.
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