Neutropenia

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 30, 2025.

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Neutropenia is a condition that causes a low number of neutrophils in your blood. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell made in the bone marrow. Neutrophils remove bacteria, viruses, and fungi to protect you from infections.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Informed consent

is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.

Medicines:

Medicines may be used to help control your neutropenia and infections. Ask your healthcare provider about these and other medicines you may be given:

• Growth factors stimulate your bone marrow to produce neutrophils.
• Antibiotics help treat or prevent an infection caused by bacteria.
• Antifungal medicine helps kill fungus that can cause illness.
• Corticosteroids help keep your immune system working properly if your neutropenia is caused by an autoimmune condition.

Monitoring:

Healthcare providers may monitor your vital signs every 1 to 4 hours. Your providers will pay close attention to your temperature. Fever is a sign of infection.

Related medications

Tests:

Some tests may need to be repeated to check if your treatment is working. Ask your healthcare provider about these and any other tests you may need:

• Blood tests may be done to check the level of white blood cells in your body. This will show if you have an infection and if your neutropenia is moderate or severe.
• Urine tests may be used to check for a bladder or kidney infection.
• A CT scan takes pictures of your chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The pictures may show an infection or other problems in your body. You may be given contrast liquid to help providers see the infection or other problems better in the pictures. Tell the healthcare provider if you have ever had an allergic reaction to contrast liquid.
• A bone marrow biopsy is a procedure to take a sample of bone marrow from your hip bone. This test checks if your bone marrow produces neutrophils.

Treatment:

Your healthcare providers may stop giving you medicines that can cause neutropenia. Your provider may recommend changes to the foods you eat if nutrition problems caused your neutropenia. You may be placed in a single room until the cause of your neutropenia is found and neutrophil levels are higher. This protects you from other people who may have infections. Providers will instruct all visitors to wash their hands before and after visits. Ask your provider for more information about neutropenic precautions.

Treatment options

The following list of medications are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

• Neupogen
• filgrastim
• Zarxio
• Nivestym
• Releuko

View more treatment options

RISKS:

Neutropenia may cause infections in your skin, mouth, and anal area. Infections may spread and become life-threatening. You may develop a serious infection throughout your body, called sepsis. You may need to be hospitalized.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Further information

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