Modern antifungal therapy for neutropenic fever.

Empirical antifungal therapy has been shown to decrease the number of documented fungal infections in the setting of persistent fever during neutropenia. For decades, amphotericin B deoxycholate has been considered the agent of choice for first-line therapy in this setting. New antifungal agents associated with less toxicity, including the lipid formulations of amphotericin, voriconazole, and caspofungin, are now available and are considered to be suitable alternative first-line agents. In order to ensure appropriate therapy, however, the clinician must consider not only the differences between these antifungals but also patient-specific factors before initiating treatment.