Question

What are the causes of leukopenia, and what are effective treatment methods? Please provide professional medical advice.

Answer

Leukopenia, particularly granulocytopenia, has several main causes:

  1. Infections: Caused by bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, and protozoa, such as typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and others.
  2. Medications: Certain drugs can lead to leukopenia, including antitumor drugs, antipyretic analgesics, antithyroid drugs, and more.
  3. Radiation: Long-term or high-dose exposure to radiation may cause leukopenia.
  4. Blood Disorders: Such as aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.
  5. Autoimmune Diseases: Including systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The first step in treating leukopenia is to determine the cause and treat it accordingly, such as discontinuing the use of related medications. Additionally, medications can be used to increase white blood cell counts.