Hematopoeisis/Anemia

Question 1

What is lymphopenia?

Answer 1

ALC < 1000 cells/mm3

Can lead to infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Question 2

What are common causes of lymphopenia?

Answer 2

High dose corticosteroid use with chemo

Chemo used in treatment of leukemias and lymphomas (purine analogs, alemtuzumab)

Question 3

What are common causes of neutropenia?

Answer 3

Chemo
Acute leukemia
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant

Question 4

Define neutropenic fever/febrile neutropenia:

Answer 4

Fever:
Single oral temp >/= 38.3 C (101 F)
>/= 38 C (100.4 F) over 1 hr

Neutropenia:
< 500 neutrophils/mm3
<1000 and a predicted decline to = 500 over the next 48 h
<100 cells/mm3

Question 5

Definition of anemia:

Answer 5

Decrease in Hgb or circulating RBCs resulting in reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Men: Hgb < 13g/dL
Women: Hgb < 12g/dL