How I Treat: Inpatient Consultations for Quantitative Neutrophil Abnormalities in Adults

Abstract

Neutrophilia and neutropenia commonly lead to inpatient Hematology consultation. Quantitative neutrophil abnormalities have a broad differential and include diagnoses that are important to recognize as they may be associated with increased mortality. Neutrophilia can reflect etiologies such as infection, medications, inflammation, splenectomy, and congenital disorders. Neutropenia can arise from infection, medications, autoimmune destruction, sequestration, nutritional deficiency, malignancy, and congenital neutropenia syndromes. In the evaluation of all abnormalities of neutrophil number, the timing of the change and the patient's historical neutrophil count are crucial.