title: Transient and chronic neutropenias detected in children with different viral and bacterial infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to identify the relationship of acquired neutropenias with infections in childhood and to assess their course, complications, short and long-term outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a two-year period, all children admitted to the pediatric ward with neutropenia were investigated for underlying infections with indices of infection, cultures of body fluids and serological tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-seven previously healthy children, aged (median, 25-75%) 0.7 years (0.2-1.5), were identified with neutropenia (frequency: 2.0%). An infectious agent was identified in 34/67 cases (50.7%) (viral infection: n=24, bacterial: n=10). In 50/67 (74.6%) children, neutropenia recovered within 2 months (transient neutropenia, TN), while in 17/67 (25.4%) of them it persisted for more than two months. Two years after diagnosis 50/67 children (74.6%) accepted to be reassessed. Of these children, 8/50 (16%) remained neutropenic (neutropenic children, NC), while 42/50 had recovered completely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neutropenia during childhood is usually transient, often following viral and common bacterial infections, does not present serious complications and in the majority, it resolves spontaneously. However, in a significant percentage of patients, neutropenia is discovered during the course of an infection, on a ground of a preceding chronic neutropenic status.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Pediatric Department, Aghia Sopia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. ekaranas@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karavanaki
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polychronopoulou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giannaki
authors.forename: Fotis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haliotis
authors.forename: Bettiina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sider
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brisimitzi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scordias
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marangou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stamatiadou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avlonitis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis