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It is used to heighten suspicion for occult infection, particularly when other blood counts are otherwise normal.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How did dexamethasone affect the patient’s blood counts in this case?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"After IV dexamethasone, the patient’s platelet count and WBC count increased, and bands became detectable (8% after the first dose and 5% after the second dose). Bands later became undetectable one week after completing the four-day course.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Does the article suggest that corticosteroids can cause bandemia without infection?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Yes. The report emphasizes that a single high dose of dexamethasone may cause bandemia in otherwise healthy patients without signs of infection or inflammation, based on the presented case.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},420556,1790794544,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":123,"preview_page_count":4},962090883892,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/e00115db34f3e0f11b?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1790152879550218658","Case Reports  \nCorticosteroids and Bandemia: A Case Report and Review ofthe Literature  \nJessica Moore, M.D.1, Fred Schiffman, MD, MACP2  \n1 Department of Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center,  \n2 Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Brown University  \nJournal of Brown Hospital Medicine Vol. 5, Issue 1, 2025  \nArticle Information  \nKeywords: Bandemia, dexamethasone, immune thrombocytopenic purpura  \n[https://doi.org/10.56305/001c.154359](https://doi.org/10.56305/001c.154359)  \nSubmitted: August 10, 2025 EST  \nAccepted: December 14, 2025 EST  \nPublished: January 01, 2026 EST  \nAbstract  \nWhile it is known that glucocorticoids can affect the immune system and increase white blood cell count, there is limited evidence suggesting that they directly lead to the presence of immature neutrophils (bandemia) in the bloodstream. To our knowledge, studies specifically looking at bandemia after corticosteroid use, in humans, have not been done. Our case highlights that a single high dose of dexamethasone may cause bandemia in otherwise healthy patients without signs of infection, or inflammation.  \nbackground  \nGlucocorticoids are used pharmacologically to treat inflammatory, allergic, and immunological disorders. Inhibition of phospholipases and cytokine transcription has been reported as a major mechanism of this anti-inflammatory action.1 Research shows that glucocorticoids markedly increase the number of circulating polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) available to participate in the inflammatory response. Several possible mechanisms for the glucocorticoid-induced granulocytosis have been proposed, including enhanced release of PMNs from bone marrow, delayed apoptosis of PMNs in the circulation, reduced egress of PMNs into inflamed tissues, and decreased expression of adhesion molecules such as Mac-1 (CD11b) and L-selectin (CD62L), which reduce neutrophil adherence to the endothelium and promote their release into the bloodstream.1‑3 Mishler and colleagues found that the maximum neutrophil count occurred 4-6 hours after oral or intravenous (IV) administration of dexamethasone and was due almost entirely to an increase in mature neutrophils.4  \nWhile it is known that glucocorticoids can affect the immune system and increase white blood cell (WBC) count, there is limited evidence suggesting that they directly cause the release of immature neutrophils in the bloodstream. Bandemia refers to an elevated number of immature white blood cells in the peripheral blood, called band cells. Band neutrophils are immature forms of neutrophils characterized morphologically by a nucleus that is curved or horseshoe-shaped but not yet segmented, distinguishing them from mature segmented neutrophils. It is not a specific diagnostic marker but can be seen in various clinical contexts, such as infection or inflamma-  \ntion, that might stimulate the bone marrow to release immature cells. Bandemia has demonstrated high specificity (often >90%) for infection, though sensitivity is moderate, and its presence should heighten suspicion for occult infection, especially in patients with otherwise normal WBC counts. Older animal studies conducted before the year 2000 have shown that administration of glucocorticoids can increase the number of nonsegmented PMNs (band form) in the circulation, perhaps due to bone marrow release of PMNs and demargination from the endothelial surfaces of blood vessels.  \nTo our knowledge, studies specifically examining bandemia after corticosteroid use in humans have not been conducted. The objective of the current report is to demonstrate that a single high dose of dexamethasone may cause bandemia in patients without signs of infection or inflammation.  \ncase presentation  \nA 59-year-old woman with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department after her complete blood count (CBC) showed a platelet count of 6000/uL during a primary care visit. She reported feeling fatigued and brui","cbCaiaDDqX3Yq1dq","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiaDDqX3Yq1dq","pdf",115214,"English","# Abstract\n# Background\n# Case presentation\n# Discussion","[{\"question\":\"What is bandemia, and why is it clinically important?\",\"answer\":\"Bandemia refers to an elevated proportion of immature neutrophils (band cells) in peripheral blood. It is used to heighten suspicion for occult infection, particularly when other blood counts are otherwise normal.\"},{\"question\":\"How did dexamethasone affect the patient’s blood counts in this case?\",\"answer\":\"After IV dexamethasone, the patient’s platelet count and WBC count increased, and bands became detectable (8% after the first dose and 5% after the second dose). Bands later became undetectable one week after completing the four-day course.\"},{\"question\":\"Does the article suggest that corticosteroids can cause bandemia without infection?\",\"answer\":\"Yes. The report emphasizes that a single high dose of dexamethasone may cause bandemia in otherwise healthy patients without signs of infection or inflammation, based on the presented case.\"}]","Corticosteroids and Bandemia - A Case Report and Review of the Literature | PDF",1790621466]