title: Infectious complications during therapy of acute leukaemia in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: In 40 febrile neutropenic episodes during the induction and consolidation chemotherapy of acute leukaemia in Riyadh, 51% of organisms causing septicaemia were gram-negative, 26% gram-positive, 8% anaerobes and 15% fungi. In 21 (52%) febrile episodes there were pulmonary infiltrates; of the 12 where aetiology was known, six were due to fungi. Pulmonary infiltrates progressed to adult respiratory distress syndrome and death in nine instances. There was no significant occurrence of parasitic and tropical infections. The results show that the pattern of infection, during therapy of acute leukaemia in developing countries, may have important differences when compared with western centres. Empiric amphotericin B may need to be introduced at an earlier stage in patients with persistent fever or progressive pulmonary infiltrates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University College of Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: el Saghir
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Santhosh-Kumar
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Zeitany
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000209:etiology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology