TY - JOUR
TI - Infections in Children With Cancer: The Role of the Presence or Absence of Neutropenia
AU - Karavanaki, K.
AU - Kossiva, L.
AU - Sklavou, R.
AU - Kakleas, K.
AU - Tsentidis, C.
AU - Gourgiotis, D.
AU - Marmarinos, A.
AU - Sdogou, T.
AU - Tsolia, M.
AU - Polychronopoulou, S.
JO - Pediatric Emergency Care
PY - 2021
VL - 37
TODO - 3
SP - 155-160
PB - NLM (Medline)
SN - 0749-5161, 1535-1815
TODO - 10.1097/PEC.0000000000002360
TODO - antiinfective agent;  C reactive protein, child;  complication;  fever;  hematologic disease;  human;  neoplasm;  neutropenia;  preschool child, Anti-Bacterial Agents;  C-Reactive Protein;  Child;  Child, Preschool;  Fever;  Hematologic Neoplasms;  Humans;  Neoplasms;  Neutropenia
TODO - BACKGROUND: Infections in patients with cancer are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In most cases, the presence of neutropenia renders them prone to infections to either common or opportunistic pathogens. A wide spectrum of bacterial, viral, or fungal agents is encountered in these patients. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate infection types and pathogens in pediatric patients with cancer with and without neutropenia. METHODS: A total of 37 pediatric patients with cancer (median age ± 25% quartile, 6.0 ± 2.0% years) with 70 febrile episodes were evaluated at fever's onset and 48 hours later with complete blood count, C-reactive protein, cultures of biological fluids, polymerase chain reaction, and antibody titers. RESULTS: Of 70 infections, 30 (42.85%) were bacterial, 13 (18.57%) were viral, 3 (4.28%) were fungal, 16 (22.85%) were fever of unknown origin, 18 (25.71%) were opportunistic, and 12 (17.14%) were mixed infections. Neutropenia was detected in 42 (60.0%) of 70 febrile episodes, mainly in patients with hematological malignancies [odds ratio, 2.81 (0.96-8.22); P = 0.059]. Neutropenic patients had higher prevalence of mucocutaneous infections (47.6% vs 7.14%; P = 0.004). Herpes simplex virus 1 infections occurred only in the neutropenic group (14.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cancer exhibited a high prevalence of bacterial (42.85%), opportunistic (25.7%), and mixed infections (17.14%). Patients with hematological malignancies and neutropenia presented higher frequency of mucocutaneous and herpes simplex virus 1 infections than the nonneutropenic ones. Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
ER -