After empiric therapy: what to do until the granulocyte comes back.

The prompt initiation of empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy when a granulocytopenic patient becomes febrile has become standard practice and has resulted in a significant reduction in the early morbidity and mortality associated with infection. Granulocytopenic patients, however, are at risk for multiple infectious episodes, particularly when the duration of neutropenia is prolonged. Accordingly, the addition of one or more antimicrobial agents to the initial empiric antibiotic regimen is often necessary to deal effectively with these second infections and to help maximize the patient's chance for survival. An organized plan that incorporates modifications of the primary antibiotic regimen (e.g., the addition of another antibiotic or an antifungal agent) into the overall management of the febrile neutropenic patient is important, especially when neutropenia lasts for more than a week.