title: Prevalence of neutropenia in children by nationality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A high prevalence of neutropenia has been reported in several ethnic groups amongst whom many healthy individuals with low neutrophil counts undergo unnecessary investigations. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of neutropenia (NP) in a large cohort of children from North African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries residing in the United Arab Emirates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neutrophil counts of 26,542 children (one day to six years of age) from 86 countries were analyzed. The subjects were enrolled in the Well-Child-Care program of Ambulatory Health Services of Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. NP was defined as a neutrophil count <1.5 × 10(9)/L and severe NP <0.5 × 10(9)/L.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The neutrophil counts reached a nadir in the fourth week of life and changed slightly from the age of six-months to six-years. The frequency of NP was (from West-to-East): North African Arabs 15.4 %, Green Crescent Arabs 9.8 %, Peninsular Arabs 10.9 %, Iranians 3.1 %, Afghanis 2.5 %, Pakistanis 5.6 %, Indians 10.2 %, and Filipinos 7.3 %. The frequency of severe NP in North African Arabs (Sudanese) was 2.8 %, Green Crescent and Peninsular Arabs ≤1 %, Indians 1.5 %, and Filipinos 1.8 %. In 12,703 Emirati children, the frequency of NP was 10.6 % similar to their adult counterparts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of childhood NP varied considerably by geoethnicity. Measures to prevent the inappropriate investigations of healthy children with benign neutropenia are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab of Emirates.
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denic
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab of Emirates.
authors.forename: Hassib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab of Emirates.
authors.forename: Lolowa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Al Mekaini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab of Emirates.
authors.forename: Suleiman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hammadi
authors.affiliation: Ambulatory Healthcare Services, Abu Dhabi, United Arab of Emirates.
authors.forename: Omar N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Al Jabri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab of Emirates.
authors.forename: Abdul-Kader
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Souid
keywords: Ethnicity; Malaria hypothesis; Monocyte count; Public health