What is cytopenia?
In medicine, the word cyto concerns the cell and penia means low or reduced. Cytopenia is therefore a disorder characterized by low or reduced levels of one or more blood components in circulation. Blood has several components including red blood cells (RBC), plates and white blood cells (WBC). RBCs are cells that supply oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. Plates are important when clotting blood and WBC acts to prevent the body against infections. CBC shows WBC, platelet and RBC in blood sample. When all blood components are reduced, the condition is called armortopenia. Pancytopenia is usually observed in cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), severe vitamin B12 deficiency and aplastic anemia, a condition where bone marrow cannot produce blood cells.
cytopenia, which shows a lack of RBC in circulation, is known as anemia. Anemia is usually caused by other basic diseases that lead to bleeding, increased RBC destruction in circulation and abnormal production of RBC KosTen's marrow. Symptoms include poor concentration, weakness, palpitations or increased heart rate and shortness of breath during effort. If it is severe, anemia is usually treated with blood transfusion.
Low WBC in circulation is called leukopenia. This type of cytopenia is often caused by infections such as malaria, flu and tuberculosis. Some forms of cancer, such as leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma, also with a low WBC number. However, the most common cause of this form of cytopenia is caused by cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Patients with leukopenia may have headache, weakness, and fever and are more susceptible to ease of infections.
Low or reduced number of plates is known as thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is usually caused by other basic conditions, such as bone marrow cancer and chronic liver disease, leading to a reduction in platelet production. It may also be the result of an increasedDestruction of platelet in circulation, such as in the case of haemorrhagic fever dengue (DHF) and chemotherapy.
DHF is a viral infection transmitted by an infected mosquito. It usually represents symptoms of sudden onset of high fever, severe headaches, muscle pain and rash. The presence of bruises in the skin and nose and gum bleeding is also commonly observed in patients with dengue and other patients with thrombocytopenia.