Cyclic Neutropenia

Excerpt

Neutrophils play a vital role in our immune defenses by ingesting, killing, and digesting invading microorganisms. Failure to carry out this role results in immunodeficiency, which manifests itself in the form of recurrent infections. Common causes of neutropenia include autoimmune diseases, drug reactions, chemotherapy, and hereditary disorders. Cyclic neutropenia is a very rare hematological condition and is characterized by regular fluctuations in blood neutrophil counts, leading to periodic neutropenia with a 21-day turnover frequency. It is now considered an autosomal dominant disease caused by ELANE gene mutations. The symptoms and clinical manifestation of cyclic neutropenia may range from mild to severe, depending on the degree and duration of neutropenia. The absolute neutrophil count can drop to zero, and these extremely low counts may last for up to three to five days.