Leukopenia Case Study

At this moment, this young boy fits the diagnosis of Normocytic anemia with increased red cell production along with leukopenia. The patient presents with symptoms consistent with severe anemia including of pallor, fatigue, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypotension. The patient’s new systolic ejection murmur is most likely related to increased semilunar flow due to the anemia. The recent throat infection and subsequent antibiotic treatment are the most probable cause of these symptoms. The patient’s leukopenia is also most likely a transient response to his infection, with another possibility being a drug reaction to treatment that he received for his infection. The mechanism of his decrease white blood cells could be related to antibody mediated destruction, bone marrow suppression, or a shift into the tissue or marginated compartments. Similar the anemia could also be due to a hemolysis due to an autoimmune destruction. Hemolysis is the most common cause of normocytic anemias with increased red cell production. The increased turnover of red blood cells due to destruction results in an over decrease in red cell lifespan and subsequently a decrease in oxygen carrying capacity. The …show more content…
Bacteria endocarditis secondary to the patient’s throat infection though low is a possible cause of the patient’s current symptoms, especially in the light of his new systolic ejection murmur. The presentation of bacterial endocarditis can be vague, patients can present with fever, sweating, chills, loss of appetite or weight loss, pallor, headache, weakness, or tiredness. Our patient have several of these symptoms. Additionally established infections often cause a normocytic-normochromic anemia, elevated WBC count, increased ESR, increased immunoglobulin levels, and the presence of circulating immune complexes and rheumatoid factor. Though the WBC count is low in our patient, this does not preclude the diagnosis since not every single one of these factor is necessary for the