Most people who take biologic medications and cancer-fighting drugs are aware of the risk for severe neutropenia, but many don’t know how to accurately monitor the risk. Fortunately, there is a program that closely monitors the risk of developing neutropenia resulting from certain types of medication residue in the blood. This program is known as Neutromonitoring.
Neutromonitoring is an innovative system which helps physicians modify drug dosages by measuring neutrophil counts in individuals taking biologics and chemotherapy drugs2. It identifies patients at highest risk for developing neutropenia and allows clinicians to better manage dosages quickly and safely. Studies report that monitoring reduces serious adverse events—such as death due to sepsis—by 50%, which significantly increases patient safety1.
Neutromonitoring involves traditional methods of collecting patient information, including clinical history, baseline neutrophil counts, laboratory values of serum or plasma levels of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM), CRP values (if necessary) as well as parameters related to hemoglobin or albumin (if needed). With collection of these data points it allows for evaluation of risks associated with different levels of neutrophils during long-term treatment3.
For physicians to evaluate potential patient risks due to medication doses, Neutromonitoring suggests when a patient should stop or start receiving certain treatments depending on their current levels of neutroscils1. This helps physicians to individually tailor treatments and reduce overall risks typically associated with higher doses or prolonged therapies4. It also allows practitioners to more effectively identify any changes in blood count levels earlier rather than later, enhancing overall precision in patient treatments and reducing further risks posed by more serious adverse events such as sepsis1.
Finally, Neutromonitoring has been shown to improve cost-effectiveness due to fewer deaths and hospital visits resulting from adverse events such as sepsis1. With the combination of improved accuracy in medication dosage assessments paired with aggressive evaluation for potential adverse events –Neutromonitoring remains one of the top programs for closely monitoring the risk of severe neutropenia when taking biologic medications or cancer fighting drugs5.
What interventions can be used to reduce the risk of severe neutropenia?
Neutropenia is a potentially serious condition which is characterized by a low level of neutrophils, which are a type of white blood cell responsible for fighting off foreign bodies and bacteria in the body. When these cell counts drop too low, an individual can become at greater risk of infections and other types of diseases. Fortunately, there are interventions available that can reduce the risk of developing severe neutropenia such as vaccination against certain illnesses, avoiding activities that could cause infections and taking prescribed medications.
Vaccinations are important in reducing the risk of developing severe neutropenia because they help an individual’s body develop immunity to certain illnesses. In turn, this helps prevent any additional damage from being done when the white cell count is already low. This is especially true when it comes to more common and preventable infections like influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia. It’s important for anyone at risk for neutropenia to make sure they receive vaccinations as well as recommended boosters from each vaccine every so often.
Engaging in activities that increase the risk of infection should also be avoided as much as possible for those with neutropenia. Examples include swimming in public pools or lakes without showering first, touching animals such as rodents or birds, coming into contact with people who may have contagious infections such as cold or strep throat, engaging in contact sports like football or wrestling, and spending long periods outdoors during mosquito season.
Finally, taking prescribed medications according to proper dosage instructions can also help reduce the risks associated with developing severe neutropenia. Some drugs are specifically used to treat conditions associated with this type of immunodeficiency while others actually combat illnesses that contribute or even cause it altogether. An example would be chemotherapy drugs used to reduce cancer risk and cure cancer-related conditions amongst other uses – these drugs often have a suppressing effect on white blood cells lowering their count dangerously low if not taken correctly under medical supervision%.
In conclusion, interventions such as vaccinations against preventable illnesses; avoiding activities that increase infection risk; and taking prescribed medications correctly can help reduce our chances of developing severe neutropenia greatly. As always it’s still important to follow up regularly with your doctor so they can monitor any changes in your condition along with lifestyle changes mentioned above whenever necessary!
