Leukemia and WBCs | Symptoms, Causes, Types, Diagnosis & Treatment

Treatment of leucopenia

In a patient with leucopenia, the treatment should aim to the following:

  • Treatment of the cause
  • Increase the production of white blood cells
  • Prevention of infection and treatment of it if occurred

The doctor can achieve these goals in many ways, as follows:

Stoppage of the medication that caused leucopenia (such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immune-suppressive drugs) and shifting the patient to safer drugs
Stoppage of anticancer therapy is the doctor’s decision because it depends on “which is the more dangerous cancer or leucopenia?”.

Treatment of the infection: either it was the cause or the result of leucopenia.

Growth factors, such as Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: These factors stimulate the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells. Thus, they are helpful, especially if the cause is genetic, such as in aplastic anemia.

Diet rich in minerals and vitamins (such as fruits and vegetables) helps in raising the production of white blood cells, especially if the cause of leucopenia is malnutrition.

Some measure to reduce the possibility of infection in patients with leucopenia:

  • Immunocompromised diet (low bacterial diet): This diet reduces the chance of infection in patients with weak immunity. The choice and preparation of this diet occur in a safe way to prevent its contamination with organisms. This diet includes foods, such as pasteurized milk and yogurt, well-cooked meats and eggs, and well-washed, canned or frozen fruits, and vegetables.
  • Good hygiene practices, such as hand washing
  • Avoid crowding and contact with sick people
  • Be careful and avoid any activities that may lead to wound, even small bruises
  • Avoid contact with animals

Either in leucocytosis or leucopenia, your doctor will ask you to do a complete picture (CBC) to know your white blood cell count. CBC also useful in the follow-up visits to determine the efficiency of the treatment plan.

Also, leucocytes in urine may indicate some health problems. Thus, we will discuss the leucocytes in the urine.

Now, let’s discuss leucocytes in urine (pyuria).