Agranulocytosis

Agranulocytosis
Agranulocytosis
Specialty	Hematology, immunology
Symptoms	Rigors, fever, sore throat, rapid infection
Complications	Sepsis
Causes	Idiosyncratic reactions to certain drugs
Risk factors	Cocaine use
Diagnostic method	Complete blood count, bone marrow examination
Differential diagnosis	Aplastic anemia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, myelodysplasia, leukemia

Agranulocytosis, also known as agranulosis or granulopenia, is an acute condition involving a severe and dangerous lowered white blood cell count (leukopenia, most commonly of neutrophils) and thus causing neutropenia in the circulating blood.^[1] It is a severe lack of one major class of infection-fighting white blood cells. People with this condition are at very high risk of serious infections due to their suppressed immune system.

In agranulocytosis, the concentration of granulocytes (a major class of white blood cells that includes neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils) drops below 200 cells/mm³ of blood.

^ Neutropenia at eMedicine

[1] Neutropenia at eMedicine

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