Lymphocytes are important cellular structures of the immune system that belong to the group of agranulocytes. They provide the basic cellular and humoral immunity, regulate the work of other elements of the leukocyte complex.
The number of such cellular elements in the peripheral blood system is an important indicator of a direct assessment of the current state of general human immunity.
The lowered level of lymphocytes in the blood can speak about the presence of a number of diseases, pathological conditions and individual characteristics of the patient's body. In this article, we will try to understand what this means, and what causes lead to a lowered level of lymphocytes in children and adults.
The role of lymphocytes in the body
Scientists have identified several types of lymphocytes. Each of them differs in the way it affects pathogenic microorganisms.
- T-lymphocytes .This group is the most numerous. It is divided into 3 more subspecies. Each of them plays a role. T-killers kill infectious agents, as well as altered( tumor cells).T-helpers improve immunity, and T-suppressors suppress the immune response.
- B-lymphocytes .Their number is 10-15% of the total concentration. The functions of B-lymphocytes are one of the most important. They consist in resisting viruses, bacteria and developing cellular immunity. It is these substances that make vaccination effective.
- NK-lymphocytes .This prefix is translated from English as "natural killers".The proportion of these leukocytes is estimated at 5-10% of the total mass. The main function of agents is to kill the elements of their own organism if they are infected.
Lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow. From the blood, most of the lymphocytes pass into the thymus( the thymus gland), where they transform into T-lymphocytes, which protect the human body from foreign agents. The rest become B-lymphocytes, which terminate in the lymphoid tissues of the spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes.
B-lymphocytes in contact with pathogens of infections synthesize antibodies. There is also a third type of lymphocytes. These are the so-called natural killers. They also provide protection for the body against cancer cells and viruses.
Norm of lymphocytes
Norm of lymphocytes: 1,2 - 3,0 thousand / ml;25-40%.The condition in which there is an increase in the number of lymphocytes is called lymphocytosis, with a decrease - lymphopenia.
Quantitative changes can have both an absolute character( change in the number per unit volume of blood), and relative nature - a change in the percentage of other forms of leukocytes.
Causes of decreased lymphocytes in adults
Why did the blood test detect lowered lymphocytes, and what does it say? In adults, the level of lymphocytes in the blood is 20-40% of all available leukocytes, but in some states of the body the standard index can significantly change. Very many reasons provoke a decrease in these cells, which is why it is not always easy to diagnose.
To pathological conditions, due to which can be decreased lymphocytes in adults , include:
- AIDS;
- chronic hepatological lesions;
- aplastic anemia;
- sub-stage anti-shock;
- septic, purulent pathology;
- miliary tuberculosis;
- severe infectious lesions;
- radiation and chemotherapy;
- destruction of lymphocytes;
- hereditary immune pathologies;
- kidney failure;
- lupus erythematosus( disseminated);
- lymphogranulomatosis;
- splenomegaly;
- Itenko-Cushing syndrome;
- lymphosarcoma;
- intoxication with corticosteroids;
- acute infectious and purulent-inflammatory diseases: influenza, tonsillitis, pneumonia and abscesses.
Diseases accompanied by lymphopenia are in most cases very dangerous and have an unfavorable prognosis. Therefore, if for a long time a person is diagnosed with low lymphocytes - this is a signal for an immediate and thorough medical examination.
Lymphopenia itself is not subject to correction, it is necessary to treat a primary disease. With chronic lymphocytopenia, immunoglobulin injections are sometimes prescribed. If reduced lymphocytes are the result of congenital immunodeficiency, stem cell transplantation is performed.
Reduced lymphocytes in the blood of a child
Reduced lymphocyte counts are called lymphocytopenia( or lymphopenia).There are two types of lymphocytopenia: absolute and relative.
- Absolute lymphopenia occurs when there is a deficit of immunity( acquired or congenital).It can appear in patients with leukemia, leukocytosis, exposure to ionizing radiation, neutrophilia.
- With relative lymphopenia , the development of the lymphoid system is disrupted, then the lymphocytes die very rapidly. It also arises as a result of chronic infections and acute infectious diseases.
Lymphopenia in a child does not show any visible symptoms. But in connection with cellular immunodeficiency such signs as:
- considerable reduction of lymphonoduses and tonsils can be shown;
- eczema, pyoderma( purulent skin lesions);
- alopecia( hair loss);
- splenomegaly( enlarged spleen);
- yellowness, pale skin;
- petechiae( hemorrhagic spots on the skin).
If the lymphocytes are lowered in the blood, the child often has relapses of infectious diseases, and rare microorganisms often act as pathogens.
What to do if blood lymphocytes are lowered
There is no specific treatment for low lymphocytes, because a symptom can be caused by a number of severe pathologies, as well as individual physical features.
When the laboratory results of a low level of lymphocytes in the blood are detected and confirmed, as well as the absence of a clear symptomatology of the cause of its formation, the hematologist directs the patient to additional diagnostics - ultrasound, MRI / CT, radiography, histology, cytology and so on.
For adults and children, the course of therapy is appointed solely on the basis of the diagnosis found, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient's organism and his age.