Asplenia and neutrophils

Q: Asplenia tends to cause? (select one)

A) neutrophilia

B) neutropenia

Answer: A

Asplenia may occur due to various reasons including splenectomy and auto-infarction. Asplenia leads to an exaggerated response to either infection or inflammation which includes both neutrophilia and thrombocytosis. Differential diagnosis can be made by the presence of Howell-Jolly bodies or nucleated red blood cells.

#hematology

#surgical-critical-care

References:

1. McBride JA, Dacie JV, Shapley R. The effect of splenectomy on the leucocyte count. Br J Haematol 1968; 14:225.

2. Tahir N, Zahra F. Neutrophilia. [Updated 2023 Apr 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570571/

3. Spencer RP, McPhedran P, Finch SC, Morgan WS. Persistent neutrophilic leukocytosis associated with idiopathic functional asplenia. J Nucl Med 1972; 13:224.