title: Bacterial infections in lymphoma patients treated with recombinant interleukin-2.
abstract: 10 lymphoma patients given a total of 26 courses of intravenous continuous infusion of recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) alone without lymphokine-activated killer cells were analysed retrospectively for the frequency and pattern of bacterial infections associated with the immunotherapy. 4 episodes of septicaemia and 7 episodes of soft tissue infections resulted from the 26 courses of rIL-2 infusion. Although there was no death due to infection, all these infections were clinically significant, needing systemic antibiotic therapy and resulting in prolonged hospitalisation. Gram-positive infections occurred significantly (p less than 0.001) more often than gram-negative infections. Patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma had a higher incidence of infection than patients treated for Hodgkin's disease, analysed either as infection per patient treated (p less than 0.05) or infection per course of rIL-2 given (p less than 0.02).
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, University College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Goldstone
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins