Korean J Med.
1998 Mar;54(3):397-405.
Leukopenia and Neutropenia In Healthy Koreans
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Preventive Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Clinical Pathology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
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BACKGROUND: It has been well known that normal
leukocyte counts in blood can vary depending on age,
gender, other environmental factors and ethnic differe
nces. However, the normal white blood cell counts in
Koreans has not been settled yet. Over past several
years, a large number of patients were referred to the
Hematology Clinic of Asan Medical Center (AMC) for
evaluation of "leukopenia", and most of them were
found to have no medical problems other than leukocyte
counts less than 4,000/mm3. We performed this study
on persons who visited Health Screening Center to
analysis of leukopenic patients and also to establish the
normal value of white blood cell counts in Korean.
METHOD: We studied 31,307 persons (19,540 men,
11,767 women, aged 15-90), who visited to Health
Screening Center of AMC during the period from January
through December 1995. We have carried out retrospec
tive analysis of complete medical record of 2,406 patients
(838 men, 1,568 women, aged 20-81) who were found to
have leukocyte counts less than 4,000/ mm3. And we tried
to establish the normal values of leukocyte counts and
differential counts of 24,079 adults (15,807 men, 8,272
women, aged 19-90), who were assessed to be healthy
at Health Screening Center of AMC.
RESULTS
1) Leukopenia (WBC<4,000/mm3) were found in
2,406 subjects (7.7%) among 31,307 persons screened.
2) Among them, 77 subjects (3%) had medical illness;
39 of them had chronic B or C viral hepatitis, 24 of them
had iron deficiency anemia, and other diseases were de
tected in remaining 14 patients. But other hematologic dis
eases or significant infectious diseases were not detected.
Follow-up study of them has indicated no increased
incidence of infection or other hematologic diseases.
3) The total white blood cell counts of 24,097 healthy
Korean adults were 3,640-9,870/mm3 (5,900/ mm3) in men,
and 3,270-8,400/mm3 (5,264/mm3) in women. Neutrophil
counts ranged 1,288-6,866/mm3 (3,098/mm3) in men, and
1,180-5,985/mm3 (2,816/mm3) in women. Leukocyte counts
were significantly lower in female, but no significant
variation was found among age groups.
CONCLUSION
Normal range of leukocyte counts and
neutrophil counts of healthy Korean adults were lower
than those of white populations. Thus, a new normal
values of leukocyte and neutrophil counts should be
established in Koreans. And many persons with leuko
cyte counts less than 4,000/mm3 who are otherwise he
althy could be normal.