A case of cyclic neutropenia

ABSTRACT

Cyclic Neutropenia is a benign, unusual hematologic disorder characterized by regularly recurring episodes of severe neutropenia occurring approximately every 21 days. Beside neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, platelets and reticulocytes all cycle with strict periodicity suggest that this disease should be viewed as cyclic hematopoiesis, not merely as cyclic neutropenia. During neutropenic periods, patients regularly experience aphthous stomatitis, fever, malaise, cervical lymphadenitis, cutaneous infections and occasional pneumonia and otitis media. The exact cause of cyclic neutropenia is unknown. But it is strongly suggested that cyclic neurtopenia is due to an abnormality in the regulation of early hematopoietic precursor cells. We have documented a case of cyclic neutropenia for a period of 2.5 years in a 11 year-old boy who had suffered from recurrent fever, stomatitis, gingival swelling, cervical lymphadenitis and skin infections at 3 weeks intervals since 5 years of age. A brief review of the related literatures is presented.