Familial Benign Chronic Neutropenia

Abstract

A unique congenital hematological syndrome has been studied during the past year in a kindred of 3 individuals comprising 3 generations. Investigation of the family has disclosed 5 additional cases. Two smaller families have been previously reported in the foreign literature as "familial neutropenia". The more descriptive term of Familial Benign Chronic Neutropenia is preferred by us. An effort has been made to categorize this disease entity and the other neutropenic syndromes in table and descriptive form. Recognition of this rare non-sex linked dominant abnormality of the neutrophils is important if one is to avoid confusion with other far more serious hematological disorders and consequent therapeutic misadventures.