Does anemia lead to low white blood cell count?

Update Date: 2024-07-17 Source: Network

Whether anemia will lead to a decrease in white blood cells depends on the cause of anemia. If anemia is caused by non-infectious factors such as excessive blood loss or hematopoietic dysfunction, it generally does not lead to a decrease in white blood cells. However, if anemia is caused by factors such as viral infection, a decrease in white blood cells may occur.

Conditions that Do Not Cause a Decrease in White Blood Cells

1. Excessive Blood Loss: If a patient has conditions such as gastrointestinal bleeding or trauma, anemia may occur due to significant blood loss. However, due to the compensatory function of the body, the normal number of white blood cells can be maintained to a certain extent, so there are usually no symptoms of decreased white blood cells.

2. Hematopoietic Dysfunction: Diseases such as aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome can affect the normal hematopoietic function of the bone marrow, resulting in a reduction or lack of red blood cell production, which can then lead to anemia. In these cases, there is no adverse effect on white blood cells, so there is no manifestation of decreased white blood cells.

Conditions that Cause a Decrease in White Blood Cells

If an individual has infectious diseases such as viral hepatitis or AIDS, or if they have been taking chemotherapy drugs for a long time, these may cause damage to the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow, leading to a decrease in white blood cell levels. Additionally, when patients have malignant tumors such as lymphoma or acute myelogenous leukemia, cancer cells may infiltrate and damage the bone marrow tissue, significantly reducing the number of white blood cells.

It is recommended that patients with anemia promptly visit a hospital and actively cooperate with doctors to treat the underlying disease to avoid delaying treatment. In daily life, patients should also pay attention to balanced dietary intake, avoid picky eating, and engage in moderate exercise to help strengthen their physical health.