Table 2.

Causes of Neutrophilia in Neonates

Accelerated neutrophil production

Sepsis

TORCH infections

Down’s syndrome, Trisomy 21 mosaicism

Treatment with recombinant granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, recombinant granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor

Hereditary neutrophilia (autosomal dominant, hepatosplenomegaly, increased alkaline phosphatase, Gaucher type histiocytes in marrow)

Associated with amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia and with congenital deformities such as tetralogy of Fallot, dextrocardia and absent radii

Chronic marrow stimulation as in hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia

Accelerated release of neutrophils from the bone marrow into the blood

Corticosteroid administration

Epinephrine administration

Sepsis

Stress of delivery/labor; neutrophilic response lasts 3 days

Post-surgical

Neutrophil demargination

Epinephrine release/administration

Crying

Sepsis

Stress of delivery/labor; neutrophilic response lasts 3 days

Post-ictal

Erythrocyte transfusion

Diminished egress of neutrophils from the blood into the tissues

Adhesion molecule deficiency

Corticosteroid therapy

Spurious neutrophilia (platelet clumps read as neutrophils by automatic counters)