Not all of us can understand medical terms. For example, if the results of the analyzes indicate increased neutrophils stab stab, what can this be said? First, let's understand what this term means.
What are neutrophils?
Another name is neutrophilic granulocytes. This is a type of white blood cells that are of great importance for the human immune system . It is thanks to these white blood cells that the body can resist bacterial infections. The site of neutrophil formation is bone marrow. They enter the body tissue from the blood and contribute to the destruction of foreign, pathogenic microorganisms. After which neutrophils die.
If an infection enters the body and an inflammatory process develops, then it is precisely stab neutrophils that are released into the blood.
Elevated band neutrophils - what could be causing this?
In an adult healthy person, the level of these blood cells is 6% of the total number of leukocytes. In children, this indicator may vary depending on age. So, for a newborn, the norm is the content of stab neutrophils in the amount of 17%. Up to a year, this figure should drop to 4%. From one year to adolescence, the number of neutrophils increases to 5%. If stab neutrophils are elevated in a child, then the causes of this phenomenon are the same as in adults.
An increase in the number of neutrophils in the blood is called neutrophilia.
The number of neutrophils in the blood rises due to the following reasons:
- acute inflammatory processes (pneumonia, peritonitis, sepsis, otitis media, appendicitis);
- intoxication of the body (mercury, lead);
- endogenous intoxication against the background of hepatocyte necrosis, diabetes mellitus, uremia, eclampsia;
- quite often stab neutrophils are elevated during pregnancy ;
- infectious processes caused by bacteria, some viruses, fungi, rickettsia, spirochetes;
- physiological and emotional overstrain.
Elevated stab neutrophils in the blood are especially pronounced in such purulent diseases as phlegmon and abscesses.
In more rare cases, an increase in the number of these blood cells occurs as a result of myocardial infarction, tumors of the bronchi, stomach, pancreas, stroke, trophic ulcers, taking medications (corticosteroids), and extensive burns.
Causes of Low Blood Neutrophil Levels
An analysis can show not only elevated stab neutrophils in the blood. The level of these blood cells can be reduced. This phenomenon is called "neutropenia." The following conditions provoke a decrease in the number of neutrophils:
- bacterial infections (paratyphoid fever, typhoid fever, brucellosis);
- viral diseases such as viral hepatitis, influenza, chickenpox, rubella;
- thyrotoxicosis;
- diseases of the circulatory system: iron deficiency, hypoplastic, aplastic, megaloblastic anemia, acute leukemia;
- anaphylactic cheek;
- taking certain medications (cytostatics, painkillers, anticonvulsants);
- hereditary predisposition to this condition.
Now you know what causes the increase and decrease of neutrophils in the blood, as well as their permissible norms, and you can easily determine the state of your body at the moment.