Monocytes are mature, large leukocytes containing only one nucleus. These cells are one of the most active phagocytes in the peripheral blood. If the blood test showed that monocytes are elevated - you have monocytosis, a lower level is called monocytopenia.
Monocytes besides blood are also contained in large volumes in the bone marrow, spleen, liver sinuses, alveolar walls and lymph nodes. In the blood they are not long - only a few days, after which they move into the surrounding tissue, where they reach their maturity. There is a transformation of monocytes into histocytes - tissue macrophages.
The number of monocytes is one of the most important indicators when decoding the blood test. In adults, an increase in the number of monocytes in a general blood test is observed in a variety of ailments, and infectious, granulomatous and skin diseases, as well as collagenoses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, nodular polyarthritis, are considered separately.
The role of monocytes in the body
Why monocytes are needed, what does this mean? Monocytes are white blood cells, leukocytes, which also belong to phagocytes. This means that they eat up germs and bacteria that enter the body and thus get rid of them. But not only.
The task of monocytes also includes cleansing the "battlefield" from other deceased leukocytes, due to which the inflammation decreases and the tissues begin to regenerate. Well, finally, monocytes perform another important function in the body: they produce interferon and prevent the development of all kinds of tumors.
An important indicator in the blood is the ratio of monocytes and leukocytes. Normally, the percentage of monocytes to all blood leukocytes is between 4 and 12%.The change in this ratio towards an increase in medicine is called relative monocytosis. In contrast to this case, the growth of the total number of monocytes in human blood is possible. A similar pathological condition of the physician is called absolute monocytosis.
Norm
Norms of monocytes in the blood are slightly different for adults and children.
- In the child , the norm of monocytes in the blood test is approximately 2-7% of the total number of white blood cells. It should be taken into account that the absolute number of monocytes in children varies with age, in parallel with the change in the number of leukocytes.
- In an adult , the normal number of monocytes in the blood is 1-8% of the total number of leukocytes. In absolute numbers this is 0.04-0.7 * 109 / l.
Any deviation from the norm in the number of monocytes in the blood test can talk about the presence of malfunctions and diseases in the body.
Causes of elevated monocytes in an adult
If monocytes are elevated in the blood in an adult, this means the presence of monocytosis, which is relative and absolute. With the relative nature of monocytosis, the level of other leukocytes in the blood decreases, and in the absolute - only the number of monocytes increases. The cause of an increase in the relative content of blood cells may be neutropenia or lymphocytopenia.
Elevated levels of monocytes in the blood may indicate the presence of :
- Infectious processes caused by bacteria( endocarditis, tuberculosis, syphilis, malaria, brucellosis, typhoid), or by viruses( mononucleosis, hepatitis);
- Some diseases of the hematopoietic system( primarily monocytic and myelomonocytic leukemia);
- Some completely physiological conditions( after eating, at the end of menstruation in women, in children under 7 years old, etc.);
- Inhalation( often in the respiratory tract) of non-infectious( and often inorganic) substances;
- Malignant neoplastic diseases;
- Collagenosis( systemic lupus erythematosus - SLE, rheumatism);
- Stages of recovery after infections and other acute conditions:
- Postponed surgical operations.
An increase in the level of monocytes in the blood is an alarming symptom. He can talk about the presence in the body of the inflammatory process, other serious diseases. If a general blood test shows a monocyte level above the norm, a doctor's consultation and an additional examination are needed to identify the cause of the changes.
Elevated monocytes in a child
What does this mean? The appearance of monocytosis in children is also often associated with infections, especially with viral infections. As you know, children with viral infections get sick more often than adults, and monocytosis means that the body is taken with an infection.
Monocytosis in a child can also appear in helminthic invasions( ascariasis, enterobiosis, etc.), after helminths are removed from the child's body, monocytosis passes. Tuberculosis in children is currently rare, however, the presence of monocytosis should be alarming in this regard.
Also the cause can be oncological diseases in the child - lymphogranulomatosis and leukemia.
What to do with elevated monocytes?
When monocytes in the blood are elevated, the treatment depends, first of all, on the cause of this phenomenon. Of course, it is easier to cure monocytosis, which arose from non-serious diseases, for example, fungus.
However, when it comes to leukemia or a cancerous tumor, the treatment will increase the amount of monocytes in the blood and heavy, primarily not aimed at lowering the level of monocytes, but on getting rid of the main symptoms of a severe disease.