Frederick Bartholomew1, Catherine Aftandilian1, Jennifer Andrews2, Kathleen Gutierrez1, Sandra Luna-Fineman1, Michael Jeng3. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA. Electronic address: Mjeng@stanford.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the practice of empiric antibiotics for febrile, nonneutropenic pediatric oncology patients with a central venous catheter (CVC) in place. STUDY DESIGN: Episodes of fever without neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] ≥500 cells/mm(3)) were reviewed retrospectively in pediatric oncology patients with a CVC undergoing chemotherapy. Characteristics and symptoms were compared between patients with bacteremia and patients without bacteremia. RESULTS: A total of 392 episodes of nonneutropenic fever in 138 subjects (52 females; 38%) were reviewed. In this cohort, the median age at an episode was 7 years, and the majority of patients had a diagnosis of acute leukemia (54%). Median ANC was 3100 cells/mm(3) (IQR, 1570-5980 cells/mm(3)). Median temperature was 38.7°C (IQR, 38.3-39.2°C). Twenty-four infectious episodes (6%) occurred in 18 subjects, and 5 CVCs required removal; all patients requiring removal admitted and received antibiotics owing to chills. There were no significant difference in age, sex, or ANC between patients with bacteremia and those without bacteremia; however, mean temperature was higher in the patients with bacteremia (39.4°C vs 38.7°C; P = .003). No deaths due to sepsis occurred, and no CVCs were removed because antibiotics were not administered empirically. CONCLUSION: Our practice of observing pediatric oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy with CVCs who are not neutropenic does not appear to lead to increased serious adverse outcomes and avoids antibiotic exposure for >90% of patients without a bacterial infection.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the practice of empiric antibiotics for febrile, nonneutropenic pediatric oncologypatients with a central venous catheter (CVC) in place. STUDY DESIGN: Episodes of fever without neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] ≥500 cells/mm(3)) were reviewed retrospectively in pediatric oncology patients with a CVC undergoing chemotherapy. Characteristics and symptoms were compared between patients with bacteremia and patients without bacteremia. RESULTS: A total of 392 episodes of nonneutropenic fever in 138 subjects (52 females; 38%) were reviewed. In this cohort, the median age at an episode was 7 years, and the majority of patients had a diagnosis of acute leukemia (54%). Median ANC was 3100 cells/mm(3) (IQR, 1570-5980 cells/mm(3)). Median temperature was 38.7°C (IQR, 38.3-39.2°C). Twenty-four infectious episodes (6%) occurred in 18 subjects, and 5 CVCs required removal; all patients requiring removal admitted and received antibiotics owing to chills. There were no significant difference in age, sex, or ANC between patients with bacteremia and those without bacteremia; however, mean temperature was higher in the patients with bacteremia (39.4°C vs 38.7°C; P = .003). No deaths due to sepsis occurred, and no CVCs were removed because antibiotics were not administered empirically. CONCLUSION: Our practice of observing pediatric oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy with CVCs who are not neutropenic does not appear to lead to increased serious adverse outcomes and avoids antibiotic exposure for >90% of patients without a bacterial infection.
Authors: Adam J Esbenshade; Zhiguo Zhao; Catherine Aftandilian; Raya Saab; Rachel L Wattier; Melissa Beauchemin; Tamara P Miller; Jennifer J Wilkes; Michael J Kelly; Alison Fernbach; Michael Jeng; Cindy L Schwartz; Christopher C Dvorak; Yu Shyr; Karl G M Moons; Maria-Luisa Sulis; Debra L Friedman Journal: Cancer Date: 2017-05-23 Impact factor: 6.860
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