Table 1.

Classic patterns of alterations in blood leukocyte components

	Epinephrine	Glucocorticoid	Inflammatory patterns			Bone marrow suppression
			Overwhelming	Acute	Chronic
Segmented neutrophils	↑	↑	↓ to ↓↓↓c	↑ to ↑↑↑c	↑ to ↑↑↑	↓ to ↓↓↓
Band neutrophils	-	-a	- to ↑↑c	↑ to ↑↑c	- to ↑	-
Lymphocytes	↑	↓	↓ to ↓↓	↓ to ↓↓	- to ↑↑d	↓ to ↓↓
Monocytes	- to ↑	- to ↑	- to ↓	- to ↑↑	- to ↑↑	↓ to ↓↓↓
Eosinophils	- to ↓	↓b	- to ↓b	↓b to ↑	- to ↑	↓b
Basophils	-	- to ↓b	- to ↓b	↓b to ↑	↓b to ↑	↓b

Patterns described in this table indicate classic or expected changes in blood leukocyte counts due to these relatively common processes. However, duration of these processes, variations in the underlying causes of these conditions, and superimposition of multiple processes may result in differences between expected patterns of leukocyte changes and actual changes observed in an individual.

-, no apparent change; ↑, mild increase; ↑↑, moderate increase; ↑↑↑, marked increase; ↓, mild decrease; ↓↓, moderate decrease; ↓↓↓, marked decrease.

^aMay be slightly increased in some cases.

^bDue to low eosinophil and basophil counts in health, decreases may be difficult to identify.

^cMorphologic changes indicative of rapid neutropoiesis (Döhle bodies, cytoplasmic vacuolation, and cytoplasmic basophilia) may be observed.

^dA proportion of blood lymphocytes may appear reactive.