What factors affect monocyte levels?
Monocytes are white blood cells in the immune system. As part of the body's immune function, monocytes help to get rid of harmful substances, dead cells and cancer cells. This means that infections and cancer tend to increase the level of monocytes in the blood. Some blood disorders, genetic disorders and autoimmune diseases are also associated with elevated monocyte levels. The number of human monocytes may also fall, and this may be due to the use of steroid drugs, chemotherapy or toxins produced by some bacteria. This calculates the percentage of different types of white cells in a blood sample. Monocytes usually account for approximately five to ten percent of the total number of white cells. Normally, monocytes travel in Blood flow to different parts of the body, where they develop into phagocyte cells called dendritic cells and macrophages. Fagocytic cells are gadgets that are able to consume and destroy harmful particles such as bacteria and waste materials such as dead cells. Therefore, monocyte levels are increasedY in response to infection and inflammation, so they can remove microbes and dead cells from the tissues. Tuberculosis and syphilis are two examples of bacterial diseases that cause elevated monocyte levels, and viruses such as measles and mumps may have a similar effect.
malignant conditions such as leukemia or lung cancer can lead to elevated monocyte levels along with elevated levels of other types of white blood cells. In leukemia, bone marrow becomes cancer and begins to produce a large number of monocytes. The autoimmune conditions where the immune system accidentally attacks the body tissues are so associated with elevated monocyte levels. These conditions include rheumatoid arthritis that affects joints and inflammatory bowel disease.
Some bacteria, such as e.coli, produce particles known as endotoxins. Endotoxins can cause endotoxic shock, a potentially fatal condition in which lowBlood pressure, organ failure and bleeding. The condition is also associated with reduced monocytes and other white cells.
In patients who have an abnormally high number of monocytes, management usually involves the treatment of the basic cause. The low number of monocytes and other white cells can sometimes leave patients susceptible to infections. It may be necessary to stop any drug causing a problem. There are also medicines that can increase white cell levels.