Causes
Causes can be divided into the following groups:
- Decreased production in the bone marrow due to:
- aplastic anemia
- arsenic poisoning
- cancer, particularly blood cancers
- certain medications
- hereditary disorders (e.g. congenital neutropenia, cyclic neutropenia)
- radiation
- Vitamin B12, folate or copper deficiency.
- Increased destruction:
- autoimmune neutropenia.
- chemotherapy treatments, such as for cancer and autoimmune diseases
- Marginalisation and sequestration:
- Hemodialysis
- Medications
- Flecainide (a class 1C cardiac anti-arrhythmic drug)
- phenytoin
- indomethacin
- propylthiouracil
- carbimazole
- chlorpromazine
- trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
- cotrimoxazole
There is often a mild neutropenia in viral infections. Additionally, there is a condition called morning pseudoneutropenia which might be a side effect of certain anti-psychotic medications.
Read more about this topic: Neutropenia