The antithesis of leukocytosis; any situation in which the total number of leukocytes in the circulating blood is less than normal, the lower limit of which is generally regarded as 4000–5000/mm3. SYN: leukocytopenia. [leuko(cyte) + G. penia, poverty]
- basophilic l. a decrease in the number of basophilic granulocytes in the circulating blood (difficult to evaluate, owing to the small and variable number normally present). SYN: basocytopenia, basopenia.
- eosinophilic l. a decrease in the number of eosinophilic granulocytes normally present in the circulating blood.
- lymphocytic l. SYN: lymphopenia.
- monocytic l. SYN: monocytopenia.
- neutrophilic l. SYN: neutropenia.
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leu·ko·pe·nia or chiefly Brit leu·co·pe·nia .lü-kō-'pē-nē-ə n a condition in which the number of white blood cells circulating in the blood is abnormally low and which is most commonly due to a decreased production of new cells in conjunction with various infectious diseases, as a reaction to various drugs or other chemicals, or in response to irradiation
leu·ko·pe·nic or chiefly Brit leu·co·pe·nic -'pē-nik adj
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leu·ko·pe·nia (loo″ko-peґne-ə) [leukocyte + -penia] reduction in the number of leukocytes in the blood below about 5000 per mm3. Types are named for the type of cell, such as agranulocytosis and neutropenia; see also pancytopenia. Called also aleukia, aleukocytosis, and leukocytopenia.Medical dictionary. 2011.