Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with hyperthyroidism combined with leukopenia

Objective: To explore the clinical features and outcomes in patients with hyperthyroidism complicated with leukopenia. Methods: 201 patients diagnosed as hyperthyroidism from People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University were analyzed. All the patients were divided into three groups according to the white blood cell( WBC) counts and the treatment of antithyroid drug( ATD),133 patients with normal white blood cell counts in group A,32 patients with leukopenia before ATD therapy in group B,36 patients with leukopenia after ATD therapy in group C. The duration of leukopenia and the causes of hyperthyroidism were recorded. Routine WBC counts were detected and compared after an exercise test in group B and group C. Results: There were statistically significant differences in distribution of the causes of hyperthyroidism between patients with normal WBC counts and those with leukopenia( P 0. 05). Leukopenia generally occurred in 3 months after the onset of hyperthyroidism in group B and 4 weeks after the treatment with ATD in group C. There were statistically distinctive differences of the increased counts of WBC and neutrophile granulocyte between group B and group C( P 0. 05). Conclusions: Leukopenia occurred in 3 months after the onset of hyperthyroidism in patients untreated with ATD,while those occurred in 4 weeks after ATD therapy. Leukoupenia caused by hyperthyroidism and ATD is concerned with the abnormal distribution of granulocytes in circulating pool and marginating pool. The patients with Graves' disease are apt to suffer from leukopenia in all patients with hyperthyroidism.