Leukopenia in anorexia nervosa. Lack of increased risk of infection

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Abstract
To determine whether patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and leukopenia have an increased risk of infection, the incidence of leukopenia and infection was reviewed in 68 cases of AN and the mechanism of profound neutropenia was studied in one. Compared with controls, patients with AN had substantially lower total leukocyte counts and absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte counts. Despite frequent and often severe panleukopenia, the patients with AN had no more infections than did the control subjects. The patient with severe neutropenia had a hypocellular bone marrow biopsy specimen showing relative myeloid hyperplasia, normal distribution of neutrophils between the marginal and circulating pools and normal bone marrow neutrophil reserves as estimated by response to hydrocortisone sodium succinate. Patients with AN and associated leukopenia do not have increased infection propensity.

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