Benign ethnic neutropenia.

ABSTRACT: Benign ethnic neutropenia (BEN) is one of the most common causes of chronic neutropenia seen in individuals of African, Middle Eastern and West Indian descent, affecting many individuals worldwide. Despite its prevalence, many physicians are not familiar with this benign condition, resulting in unnecessary evaluation and testing for neutropenia in otherwise healthy individuals. Clinically, patients with BEN are at no increased risk of infection despite their neutropenia. Implications of this condition are highlighted in those patients receiving therapies that have a known side effect of neutropenia, most commonly chemotherapy agents. Studies have suggested that disparities in survival among those patients receiving chemotherapy between patients of European decent and African decent may be

SUBMITTER: Atallah-Yunes SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6702066 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature