title: [Autoimmune neutropenia in children].
abstract: Case reports of three children with autoimmune neutropenia are presented. The children had a number of infections, which required antibiotic treatment, mostly respiratory tract infections, but one child had a septic coxitis. During a follow-up period of 1-3 years, only one patient showed complete remission after 15 months of neutropenia. One child was treated with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor without effect, whereas two children received prophylactic antibiotics with clinical benefit. In view of the frequent infections and benefit of prophylactic measures, children with neutropenia or an inappropriately low neutrophil count during bacterial infections should be evaluated for autoimmune neutropenia.
authors.affiliation: Børneafdelingen, Regionshospitalet Herning, 7400 Herning, Denmark. meretedebois@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Merete Debois
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kølbæk
authors.forename: Bent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Windelborg
authors.forename: Kaspar René
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology