Causes of high monocytes and how to overcome them

Monocytes are a type of white blood cell (leukocyte) such as lymphocytes, neutrophils, and basophils. These blood cells are the largest cells of the blood and the body's second line of defense. If your monocyte levels are above normal, you may experience symptoms of certain conditions. Therefore, it is important to know the cause of high monocytes during a blood test and how to deal with it. Check out the full explanation below.

What are monocytes?

Monocytes are white blood cells that circulate (circulate) in the blood and spleen. Monocytes are known for their ability to recognize "danger signals" through pattern recognition. This type of white blood cell is important for alerting the immune system to any infections that have been experienced.

Monocytes in the bloodstream turn into macrophages when they enter the body's tissues to fight infection. Both are combined into a system called the mononuclear phagocyte system. It is part of the innate immune system.

Macrophages are scavengers whose job is to eat germs that infect or even infected damaged cells. Macrophages also help fight infection by issuing signals to activate other types of cells to fight infection.

The normal adult monocyte count is 100-500 / mcL or 3-7% of the total white blood cells. This figure may vary, depending on the laboratory where you are testing.

What causes high monocytes?

When your white blood cells are higher than normal levels of 5,000-10,000 / mcL, your body may be fighting an infection. When white blood cells increase, monocytes also go up.

Monocytes are said to be high if the number is more than 500 / mcL or the equivalent of more than 10% of the total number of white blood cells.

The condition when the level of monocytes in the blood becomes too high is called monocytosis. High monocytes or monocytosis can be caused by various conditions, such as:

1. Tuberculosis

A study published in Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences concluded that there are more than 10 causes of high monocytes. The study was conducted on 100 patients who underwent complete blood count and differential blood tests.

From these studies it is known that tuberculosis is the most common cause of monocytosis, accounting for 16% of all patients studied.

Other causes of monocytosis also mentioned in the study include:

• Acute viral infection
• Dengue hemorrhagic fever
• Malaria
• Diabetes mellitus
• Severe pneumonia
• Non-bone marrow malignancy
• Appendicitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• HIV infection
• Acute myocardial infarction
• Asthma
• Enteric fever
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Aplastic anemia

2. Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

Quoted from the American Cancer Society, having a blood test result with high monocytes is the most common symptom of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) .

High levels of monocytes also cause a variety of other CMML symptoms. Excessive monocytes can settle in the spleen or liver and make it large.

An enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) can cause pain in the upper left of the abdomen. This then causes a feeling of fullness that appears too quickly when you eat.

Meanwhile, if the liver is abnormally enlarged (called hepatomegaly), you may experience symptoms of discomfort in the upper right abdomen.

4. Cardiovascular disease

High monocytes have also been linked to cardiovascular disease. A study published in Wolters Kluwer Health suggests that early detection of elevated monocyte counts may be important in determining the appropriate treatment for heart disease. However, studies on a broader scale are needed to confirm this assumption.

The combination of the monocyte count and various other types of white blood cells can help your doctor determine a diagnosis for your condition. For example, high monocytes and a low lymphocyte ratio can help detect ulcerative colitis (inflammation of the large intestine).

5. Cancer

Research published in Annals of Internal Medicine mentioned that high monocytes are often found in blood tests of patients with malignant or cancerous tumors. As many as 62 out of 100 cancer patients had a monocyte count of 500 / mcL or more, while 21% had monocytes more than 1,000 / mcL.

However, high monocytes are not the only sign that can confirm the malignancy of a tumor. This means that even if you have high monocytes, you are not sure you have cancer.

However, high levels can be the basis for a doctor to suspect the presence of a malignant tumor when making a diagnosis.

How to deal with high monocytes?

There are several conditions that cause a person to have a high monocyte count. That is why, how to deal with high monocytes also varies depending on the underlying cause.

If treatment is carried out for the condition that causes it, the monocyte count may return to normal.

Monocytosis caused by tuberculosis can be treated with drugs, such as:

• Isoniazid
• Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• Ethambutol (Myambutol)
• Pyrazinamide

Meanwhile, monocytosis due to chronic myelomonocytic leukemia can be treated with stem cell transplantation (bone marrow transplant). It is the only option for treating chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. The procedure is probably more likely to be performed by younger patients when finding a suitable donor.

Some treatments for treating cancer may also cause monocytes to rise. These treatments are:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Operation

Talk to your doctor about this. Your doctor may adjust your medication to bring your monocyte levels back to normal.

Apart from medical treatment, you can also reduce the number of monocytes in the blood by eating certain foods. Some anti-inflammatory foods that can help treat monocytosis include:

• Tomato
• Olive oil
• Green vegetable

The number of white blood cells, including monocytes, indicates your health condition. Immediately discuss with your doctor if your monocyte count is an abnormal number. Early detection can help you choose the right treatment to treat this condition.