TITLE:
Fever and Infection Prevalence in Hematology-Oncology Hospitalized Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
AUTHORS:
Inês Almeida Costa, Sérgio Chacim, José Mariz
KEYWORDS:
Fever, Infection, Hematology-Oncology, Onco-Hematology, Neutropenia
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cancer Therapy,
Vol.9 No.3,
March
14,
2018
ABSTRACT: Fever is prevalent in hospitalized patients. In hematology-oncology
patients, it is related
with infection, a disease manifestation or a consequence of immunological dysfunction.
This single-center retrospective study aims to determine fever prevalence, describe
its causes and evaluate the impact of infection on mortality. We reviewed clinical
records of 222 patients admitted to the hospital in three random months of 2015.
Around 35% of all hospitalizations were complicated
by fever, 42.5% of unknown origin. 90.4% were
under treatment. Around
81% did antibiotics, most commonly piperacillin/tazobactam, for around 11
days. 41% changed antibiotics due to fever persistence or microbiological results.
The diagnostic yield of microbiological tests was 25%; in 66.7%, a Gram-negative microorganism
was isolated. We didn’t find an association between infection and mortality. We
conclude that fever is common in our hematology-oncology clinic and that the team
is trained to assume infection; empirical treatment is in accordance with international
recommendations.