Neutropenic Fever in Pediatric Patients with Cancer in South Egypt: A Report from a Single Institute | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Cancer and Biomedical Research | ||
| Article 6, Volume 6, Issue 1, March 2022, Pages 47-55 PDF (826.57 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jcbr.2022.110606.1240 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Heba Sayed1; Youstina Amir2; Amira Osman* 3 | ||
| 1Pediatric Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University | ||
| 2Department of Pediatric Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. | ||
| 3South Egypt Cancer Institute | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Fever and neutropenia (FN) is a potentially life-threatening complication of chemotherapy in children with cancer. Aim: Our objectives were to describe the characteristics of episodes of FN experienced by our patients and evaluate their outcomes and factors affecting them. Material & Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at Pediatric Oncology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University. All pediatric patients ≤ 18 years with either hematological or solid tumors admitted with documented episodes of FN after receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy were included in this study between February 2018 and February 2020. Results: 200 episodes of FN experienced by 125 pediatric cancer patients were included. The median age was six years; 60% of the patients were boys. FN was more prevalent among patients with hematological malignancies. Associated comorbidities were reported in 10.5%. Eighty percent of episodes were stratified as high-risk, with profound neutropenia reported in 47%. The focus of infection was documented in 82% of episodes. Blood-stream infections were 53.1% for Gram-negative and 24.4% for fungal isolates. Infection-related mortality was reported in 7% of episodes. Diagnosis, disease status, risk stratification, presence of comorbidity, and the grade of neutropenia significantly affected the outcome. Conclusion: Although satisfactory therapeutic interventions for neutropenic patients with fever, life-threatening resistant bacterial and fungal isolates were reported at high rates that mandate calling for an urgent review of infection control policy. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Fever; Neutropenia; Pediatric; Oncology; South Egypt | ||
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