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Leukocytosis
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Leukocytosis means there are more leukocytes than there should be. Leukocytes are the white blood cells, the defense cells that circulate in the blood. What counts as too many depends on age; in adults, doctors usually speak of leukocytosis above 11,000 cells per microliter.
It helps to understand what kind of finding this is: a common one, with a long list of possible causes behind it. The way to sort it out is to look at which type of white blood cell went up, because each one has its own name. When the neutrophils rise it is called neutrophilia; when the eosinophils rise, eosinophilia; then there are basophilia, monocytosis, and lymphocytosis. It is like a jar of marbles in several colors: seeing that there are more than before is not enough; you have to look at which of the colors increased.
There are several common causes: infection, inflammation, allergic reactions, cancer, and inherited disorders. And the threshold is not fixed: it shifts with age and with states such as pregnancy.
In brief
Leukocytosis is a white blood cell count above the expected range for age, generally above 11,000 cells per microliter in adults.
It is a common finding with a broad differential diagnosis, and it is classified by the predominant cell line: neutrophilia, eosinophilia, basophilia, monocytosis, or lymphocytosis.
A jar of marbles: seeing that there are more is not enough, you have to look at what color they are.
Common causes include infection, inflammation, allergy, cancer, and inherited disorders, and the normal threshold shifts with age and with pregnancy.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingLeukocytosis, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated