Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Agranulocytosis
Introduction
Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox
Agranulocytosis means a failure of the bone marrow to make enough white blood cells (neutrophils). Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells.
What are the symptoms of Agranulocytosis?
Persons with this condition are more likely to have fevers and infections.
What causes Agranulocytosis?
Agranulocytosis may be caused by:
- Autoimmune disorders
- Bone marrow diseases such as myelodysplasia or large granular lymphocyte leukemia
- Chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation
- Medications such as rituximab, penicillin, captopril, ranitidine, cimetidine, methimazole, and propylthiouracil
- Preparation for bone marrow transplant
Agranulocytosis results in a person not having enough of a specific type of white blood cells, called neutrophils or granulocytes. A low neutrophil count (neutropenia) may also occur when white blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be produced.
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Agranulocytosis?
Prevention of Agranulocytosis
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Sources
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.
Want to know more?
A more detailed clinical article for the same condition is available from WikiDoc. It is written for medical professionals and uses technical language.