Leukocytes are uniform elements of blood, the main function of which is the protection of the body from alien agents. The number of leukocytes in the blood is an important diagnostic feature.
Content
The concept of white blood tales - leukocytes
Leukocytes (White Blood Tales) are uniform elements of blood, the main function of which is the protection of the body from foreign agents (toxins, viruses, bacteria, eliminating cells of their own organism, etc.).
The formation of leukocytes (leukopoese) passes in the bone marrow and lymphatic nodes. There is a concept of leukocyte formula, which includes 5 types of leukocytes:
- Neutrophila
- lymphocytes
- Monocytes
- Eosinophila
- Basophiles
The number of leukocytes in circulating blood is an important diagnostic indicator, which depends on the rate of inflow of cells from the bone marrow and the speed of their exit in tissue. The number of leukocytes during the day may vary under the action of various factors, without leaving, however, beyond the limits of the established values.
The physiological increase in leukocyte levels (physiological leukocytosis) occurs for example, after eating (therefore, it is desirable to analyze an empty stomach), after exercise (physical efforts are not recommended before taking blood) and in the afternoon (preferably a blood pressure for analysis in the morning), stress, exposure to cold and heat. In women, the physiological increase in the number of leukocytes is noted in the premenstrual period, in the second half of pregnancy and during childbirth.
Normal leukocyte indicators in a healthy person - 4.0-9.0 x 10 ^ 9 cells / l.
An increase in leukocyte levels (leukocytosis) causes:
- Acute infections, especially if their pathogens are Cockki (Staphilococcus, Streptococcus, Pneumococcus, Gonokokk)
- inflammatory states; Rheumatic Attack
- intoxication, including endogenous (diabetic acidosis, eclampsia, urams, gout)
- Malignant neoplasms
- Injuries, burns
- sharp bleeding (especially if the bleeding is inner - in the abdominal cavity, pleural space, the joint or in the immediate vicinity of the hardening cerebral)
- Operational interventions
- Infarction of internal organs (myocardium, lungs, kidneys, spleen)
Lowering leukocyte levels (leukopenia) arises:
- With some viral and bacterial infections (flu, abdominal typhoid, tularemia, cortex, malaria, rubella, epidemic parotitis, infectious mononucleosis, miliar tuberculosis, AIDS)
- under sepsis
- when aplasia bone marrow
- If bone marrow damage by chemicals, drugs
- When exposed to ionizing radiation
- When taking drugs - sulfanimamides, levomycetin, analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory funds, thyaretics, cytostatics
Indicators of leukocyte formula
Leukocyte formula is the percentage of various types of leukocytes. According to morphological features (the type of kernel, the presence and nature of cytoplasmic inclusions), 5 main types of leukocytes are distinguished:
- Neutrophila
- lymphocytes
- Monocytes
- Eosinophila
- Basophiles
In addition, leukocytes differ in the degree of maturity. Most of the precursor cells of mature forms of leukocytes (young, myelocytes, promoelocytes, blast forms of cells), as well as plasma cells, young nuclear cells of the erythroid row and others. In peripheral blood appear only in the case of pathology.
Different types of leukocytes perform different functions, therefore determination of the ratio of different types of leukocytes, the content of young forms, the detection of pathological cellular forms, a description of the characteristic changes of the morphology of cells reflecting the change in their functional activity bears valuable diagnostic information. At the same time, the changes in the leukocyte formula are not specific - they may have a similar character in different diseases or, on the contrary, unlike changes can be found at the same pathology in different patients.
The leukocyte formula has age characteristics, so its shifts should be assessed from the position of the age norm (this is especially important when examining children).
With many severe infections, septic and purulent processes, the leukocyte formula is changing due to an increase in the number of rodic core neutrophils, as well as the possible appearance of more young forms - metamielocytes and myelocytes. Such a change in the leukogram with an increase in the percentage of young forms of neutrophils is called a shift to the left; The increase is mainly due to segmented and polysegnant forms (arising from megaloblastic anemia; diseases of the kidneys and liver; state after blood transfusion) - is called a shift to the right. Significant rejuvenation of cells (in the blood, the presence of metamielocytes, myelocytes, promoelocytes, blast cells) may indicate chronic leukemia; erytrolomicosis; myelofibrosis; Metastasis of malignant neoplasms; Sharp leukemia. In such cases, it is customary to talk about the leukemoid reaction.
For leukocytosis (leukopenia), an uncharacterically proportional increase (decrease) of the number of leukocytes of all kinds; In most cases there is an increase (decrease) of a number of any type of cells, so the terms are used «Neutroofilez», «Neutropenia», «lymphocytosis», «Lymphonia», «Eosinophilia», «Eosinopenia» and T.D.
It should be borne in mind that the leukocyte formula reflects the relative (percentage) content of leukocytes of various types, and the increase or decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes may not reflect the true (absolute) lymphocytosis or lymphopria, but be a consequence of a decrease or increase in the absolute number of leukocytes of other types (usually neutrophils ).
