9Associated Conditions with Basophils
Many conditions are associated with basophils, depending on whether the values are low or high.
When the levels of basophils are abnormally high, also known as basophilia, it might be involved with several forms of blood cancer, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Especially, basophilia is related to a group of conditions called myeloproliferative disorders, which occur when the body produces too many platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells in the bone marrow. These include:
– Polycythemia vera: This is a slow-growing form of blood cancer that causes an overproduction of red blood cells in the bone marrow
– Myelofibrosis: This condition causes fibrous tissues to replace blood-producing cells, resulting in anemia and malformed red blood cells
– Essential thrombocythemia: Too many platelets are produced, which causes excessive bleeding or blood clotting
Other associated conditions with basophilia include rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, tuberculosis, flu, smallpox, or chickenpox.
When the levels of basophils are abnormally low, also known as basopenia, it might be associated with angioedema, urticaria, hyperthyroidism, or serious allergic episodes caused by anaphylaxis and drug-induced hypersensitivity. [9]
