Benign Disorders Of White Cells (haematology)

Question 1

How do we classify benign disorders of white cells? (4)

Answer 1

Quantitative- it’s about the number of cells, where we have an abnormal increase or decrease.
Qualitative- it’s about impairment in function of the cells.

Question 2

What are the characteristics as well as function of neutrophils? (3)

Answer 2

-The most numerous WBCs in adults.
-They remain in circulation for about 6-10 hrs.
-They respond to chemotaxis and are phagocytic.

Question 3

What do we call the increase in the number of neutrophils?

Answer 3

Neutrophilia

Question 4

What are the causes of neutrophilia? (7)

Answer 4

-Non-haematological malignancies
-Bacterial infections
-Trauma and surgery
-Inflammation and tissue necrosis
-Myeloproliferative neoplasm
-Drugs
-Metabolic disorders

Question 5

What do we call the decrease in neutrophils?

Answer 5

Neutropaenia

Question 6

What are the causes of neutropaenia? (6)

Answer 6

Congenital
-Cyclical, Kostmann syndrome, benign
Acquired
-Immune, drug-induced, Infections

Question 7

What do we call the increase in lymphocytes and what are the causes of that? (4)

Answer 7

-Lymphocytosis
Causes are:
-Infections
-Lymphoid neoplasms
-Thyrotoxicosis

Question 8

What do we call the decreased number of lymphocytes, and what causes that? (5)

Answer 8

-Lymphopaenia
Causes are:
-Viral infections
-Hodgkin lymphoma
-Immunosuppressive therapy
-Bone marrow failure

Question 9

Which leukocytes are the largest?

Answer 9

Monocytes

Question 10

What do we call the increased number of monocytes and what causes that? (5)

Answer 10

-Monocytosis
Caused by:
-Chronic bacterial infections
-Comnective tissue damage
-Protozoan infections
-Malignancies

Question 11

What do we call the increased number of eosinophils and what causes it? (5)

Answer 11

Eosinophilia
Causes are:
-Parasitic infestations
-Allergic infections
-Recovery from an acute infection
-Drug sensitivity

Question 12

What do we call the increased number of basophils and what causes it? (3)

Answer 12

Basophilia
Caused by:
Myeloproliferative neoplasms
-Inflammatory conditions

Question 13

What are some of the qualitative disorders of WBCs? (4)

Answer 13

Common ones are:
•Toxic changes in neutrophils due to exposure to infections- causes toxic granulation, cytoplasmic vacuolization.
•Nuclear hyper-segmentation

Not so common ones are:
-Alder anomaly and Pelger-huet anomaly.

Question 14

When do we suspect qualitative WBC disorders?

Answer 14

When the patient presents with recurrent infections.