'Neutropenia' inBlack WestIndians

Summary:Aprospective casecontrol study ofroutine haematological parameters wasconducted in 294healthy Black andWhiteage/sex-matched subjects. Themostimportant finding relevant toclinical practice wasareduction oftotal white cell count inBlacks duemainly toreduced neutrophil numbers. Twenty-one percent ofsickle negative Blacks hadwhite cell counts below thelowest value seen inWhites. Thehaemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte meancell volume andmonocyte count werealso significantly lower amongst Blacks though lymphocyte counts werehigher. Theracial differences inhaemoglobin and white count werenotaccounted forbydifferences insmoking anddrinking habits. Theywerealso found whenBlacks with sickle cell trait werecompared toage/sex-matched Whites andinothers taking theoral contraceptive pill. Awareness ofracial groupshould aidinterpretation ofroutine tests andavoid unnecessary investigation ofnormal 'neutropenic' Blacks.