Recognizing the symptoms and causes of high leukocytes

When undergoing a complete blood count, you may find high white blood cells or leukocytes. High levels of white blood cells in the body are called leukocytosis. So, what does it mean if white blood cells go up? Is the condition dangerous? Here's the full explanation.

What is leukocytosis?

Leukocytosis is a high level of white blood cells (leukocytes) above normal levels. Leukocytes are considered high if they are at 50,000-100,000 / mcL. Usually raised white blood cells are known through a complete blood count. This increase can indicate the body's reaction to infection and inflammation.

White blood cells play an important role in the immune process (immune). The increase in white blood cells can mean two things, namely a sign of malignancy or the body's response to dealing with infection or other inflammatory diseases.

According to the American Associaton of Family Physician (AAFP), here are the normal levels of leukocytes by age:

• Newborns: 13,000–38,000 / mcL
• Infants and children: 5,000–20,000 / mcL
• Adults: 4,500–11,000 / mcL
• Pregnant women (third trimester): 5,800–13,200 / mcL

Cancers such as leukemia (blood cancer), melanoma (skin cancer), and lymphoma can be characterized by elevated white blood cells. Generally, the serious leukocytosis to worry about is if the white blood cell count rises to the top above 100.000 / mcL.

When you have excess white blood cells, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Fainting
• Bleeding
• Bruises
• Weight loss
• Body aches

What causes high leukocytes?

High leukocytes are most often caused by infection or inflammation of the bone marrow. In some cases, high leukocytes are a sign of a more serious bone marrow disease, such as leukemia.

Neutrophilia is one of the most common types of causes of an increase in white blood cells. Neutrophilia is an increase in neutrophil-type white blood cells to more than 7,000 / mcL. This condition can arise due to infection, stress, chronic inflammation, and drug use.

Another common type of leukocytosis is lymphocytosis, in which lymphocyte-type white blood cells make up more than 40% of the total white blood cell count. This condition can occur in patients with pertussis, syphilis, viral infections, hypersensitivity reactions, and certain types of leukemia or lymphoma.

Apart from infection or inflammation, physical stress, such as seizures and fatigue, as well as emotional stress can also cause high leukocytes.

The following are some of the causes of high leukocytes in the blood:

1. Inflammation or infection

Generally, high leukocytes are the result of normal bone marrow reacting to inflammation or infection. When inflammation, white blood cells, which are in charge of the immune system, work harder. That's why, the number will be more than usual.

Leukocytosis associated with inflammation, the most common example of one of which is burns.

White blood cells that rise to the range 50,000 - 100,000 / mcL are called leukemoid reactions. The condition of the increase in white blood cells can be a sign of malignancy (such as cancer). However, generally this reaction is caused by disorders such as severe infection, poisoning, heavy bleeding, blood splitting, or acute hemolysis.

Infections that can cause leukemoid reactions include:

• Tuberculosis
• Dysentery and other infections that cause diarrhea symptoms
• Inflammation of the lungs due to bacteria
• Worms
• Malaria

2. Emotional stress

An excess of white blood cells can also occur due to physical and emotional stress. The causes of stress that lead to leukocytosis include:

• Excessive activity
• Seizures
• Worry
• Anesthesia
• Administration of epinephrine

High leukocytes will return to normal levels, a few hours after the stress subsides.

3. Medicines

The reaction of rising white blood cells (leukemoid) can also be caused by poisoning. The causes include the use of drugs such as the sulfanilamide class and corticosteroids, or poisoning due to high levels of urea in the blood. Treatment with radiotherapy (for example to treat cancer) is also known to cause white blood cells to rise.

Several other types of drugs can also cause leukocytosis, including:

• Lithium
• Beta agonists

4. Other causes

Certain medical procedures or health conditions can also cause excess white blood cells. Some of these conditions, such as hemolytic anemia, cancer, or splenectomy (removal of the spleen).

Splenectomy can cause temporary leukocytosis for weeks to months. Meanwhile, hemolytic anemia causes an increase in the production of red blood cells which is associated with an increase in leukocyte production.

5. Causes of high leukocytes in infants

The increase in leukocytes in newborns can be caused by various conditions, such as late clamping of the umbilical cord and diseases inherited from parents.

In addition, the risk of leukocytosis in babies can increase due to the following things:

• Mothers with gestational diabetes
• Neonatal sepsis
• Baby down syndrome
• Lack of oxygen delivered to the tissues in the fetus

How to deal with high leukocytes (leukocytosis)?

Excess white blood cells are usually detected when your doctor asks you to do a complete blood count. A high white blood cell count may indicate the cause of your disease.

Because leukocytosis can be caused by many different conditions, the treatment will vary depending on the cause.

Some of the commonly recommended treatments for treating leukocytosis include:

• Antibiotics to treat infections
• Treatments to treat inflammation
• Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or bone marrow transplant for leukemia
• Treatments for stress and anxiety disorders