Monocytes are blood cells that belong to the group of lymphocytes. They are necessary for the implementation of a normal immune response. Monocytes are capable of swallowing foreign agents, thereby destroying them. This process is called phagocytosis. A change in the level of monocytes in the blood indicates various pathologies. What are the reasons that monocytes are lowered in an adult? How to deal with them? About this, as well as about the reasons for the increase in the number of monocytes later in the article.
Normal values
To understand what low blood monocytes in an adult mean, you need to have an idea of their norm. It should be noted that there is no significant correlation in the norm of monocytes between men and women.
Absolute indicators of the norm should not be lower than 0.04 × 109 / l, that is, the total number of monocytes in a liter of blood should be greater than or equal to this indicator.
In most laboratories, the result is given in relative terms. They mean the percentage of monocytes among the total number of lymphocytes. Normal values are from 3 to 11%.
A decrease in the number of monocytes of less than 3% is called monocytopenia. And an increase of more than 11% was called monocytosis.
Causes of Monocytopenia
The reasons for lowered monocytes in the blood in an adult are really many. The main ones are listed below:
- severe infectious diseases of an inflammatory nature, in which both the relative and absolute numbers of monocytes decrease due to a decrease in the total number of lymphocytes;
- aplastic anemia - a bone marrow disease in which the production of all blood cells is impaired;
- folic acid deficiency anemia - occurs due to a lack of folic acid in the body;
- bone marrow oncological diseases - leukemia, in which the level of all blood cells is also reduced;
- prolonged use of corticosteroids, for example, with autoimmune pathologies of the body;
- oncological chemotherapy;
- recent surgical interventions;
- chronic stress, emotional overload;
- chemical agent poisoning;
- radiation exposure;
- heavy and common purulent processes of soft tissues (phlegmon, abscesses).
Physiological is a decrease in the level of monocytes in women in the postpartum period. This condition is transient, that is, temporary. It passes on its own and does not need treatment.
Causes of Monocytosis
Considering the causes of lowered monocytes in an adult, one should also deal with the causes of their increase, since this is also an important diagnostic sign of some diseases. Most often, an increase in monocytes is observed in the following pathological conditions:
- infectious mononucleosis - is accompanied by a sharp increase in the number of monocytes and lymphocytes, which is an important diagnostic sign of this disease;
- autoimmune diseases - rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis and others;
- bacterial infections;
- fungal diseases;
- helminthic invasion;
- allergic reactions;
- oncology.
As the reader may have noticed, there are diseases in which both an increase in the number of monocytes and a decrease in them are possible. Often, a decrease in lymphocytes and monocytes in an adult is the result of a prolonged increase in their number. As a result, this bone marrow sprout is depleted and the number of white blood cells decreases.
Relative monocytosis
Relative monocytosis is an increase in the percentage of monocytes while maintaining normal absolute values. Most often, this occurs with a decrease in other leukocyte fractions due to a decrease in neutrophils and lymphocytes. Moreover, this symptom may indicate the presence of immunodeficiency conditions.
For example, if neutrophils are lowered and monocytes are elevated in an adult, he most likely suffers from a serious illness that leads to a depletion of the immune response. This is possible with prolonged bacterial infections. First, neutrophils increase and the body actively fights infection. But soon they are exhausted and their number is falling. The number of monocytes in this case did not change by itself, but in percentage terms their concentration increased.
A similar situation occurs when an adult has lowered lymphocytes and increased monocytes. Only in this case is it a viral infection, not a bacterial one.
Monocytopenia in blood diseases: symptoms
As already noted earlier, the reason that monocytes are lowered in the blood of an adult may be various diseases of the blood and bone marrow:
- aplastic anemia;
- folic acid deficiency anemia;
- leukemia.
Changes in the blood test are far from the only sign of the above pathologies. All of them are manifested by certain symptoms that make it possible to suspect the presence of a problem. Common clinical manifestations of blood diseases include:
- pallor of the skin;
- losing weight;
- loss of appetite;
- general tiredness and weakness;
- drowsiness, sleep disturbance.
Monocytopenia in blood diseases: treatment
Treatment depends on the cause of monocytopenia. Since folic acid deficiency anemia develops due to a lack of folic acid, the main focus of therapy is to compensate for this deficiency in the body with folic acid preparations.
Leukemia is an oncological disease, so the principles of their therapy are consistent with those of other oncologies. Depending on the type of leukemia, the severity of the course of the disease and other factors, the doctor selects the optimal regimen for radiation and chemotherapy. At the terminal stages, a bone marrow transplant is recommended.
Monocytopenia for Infectious Diseases
If monocytes are lowered in an adult due to infections, their number is usually quickly restored after recovery. Monocytopenia is more characteristic for viral diseases. They are manifested by the following symptoms:
- increase in body temperature;
- headache;
- cough;
- runny nose;
- weakness and fatigue;
- chills;
- body aches;
- drowsiness.
Most viral diseases go away on their own, without any specific treatment. The main thing is to maintain bed rest and drink plenty of fluids. But with severe intoxication, high temperature or copious secretion through the respiratory tract, it is advised to use symptomatic therapy:
- mucolytics - dilute sputum - "Mukaltin", "Acetylcysteine";
- expectorant - contribute to expectoration of sputum - "Ambrobene", "Lazolvan";
- vasoconstrictor drops - reduce nasal discharge - "Naphthyzin", "Rinazolin";
- antipyretic drugs - bring down the temperature - Paracetamol, Ibuprofen.
- antihistamines - prevent the development of an allergic reaction with the active breakdown of the virus in the body - Diphenhydramine, Loratadine.
Why can the result be distorted?
A general blood test alone does not give a 100% guarantee of the correct result. Therefore, if there is a result that monocytes are reduced in an adult, in only one blood test, it should be redone. There are many reasons for data corruption: from improper preparation to the confused results of two patients.
Therefore, preparation for a general blood test plays a very important role. To achieve the most accurate results, you need to follow a few rules:
- Blood should be donated to an empty stomach, so it is best to do this in the morning. Moreover, the minimum break between the last meal and the delivery of the analysis should be at least 8 hours.
- One and a half to two hours before the procedure should stop smoking.
- On the eve of the procedure, it is recommended not to eat heavy meals - fatty, fried, smoked.
- Also, at least a day should give up alcohol.
- If you have ever experienced nausea or fainting when giving blood, notify medical personnel.
Following these rules greatly increases the likelihood of obtaining a true result.
Reviews
Many of those who have found a reduced number of monocytes in their blood have not treated this condition. This is often an accidental find and physiological feature of the body. Therefore, if there are no clinical manifestations, do not bother to re-read a thousand articles about the causes of mononucleosis on the Internet. As noted above, monocytopenia can develop with a variety of pathologies.
Therefore, doctors recommend that, if reduced monocytes in the blood are found, first of all consult your doctor. He will determine whether it is advisable for the patient to undergo further examination. After all, a decrease in monocytes is not a diagnosis, but only a separate symptom. And it is not an analysis that needs to be treated, but a person!