Plasma IL-8 and IL-6 levels can be used to define a group with low risk of septicaemia among cancer patients with fever and neutropenia.
The standard therapy for patients with fever and chemotherapy-related neutropenia is hospitalization and infusion of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Early discharge of a defined group of patients at low risk for septicaemia would be of great advantage for these patients. In this study plasma interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels measured at start of fever (n = 72) could define a low-risk group of febrile patients with neutropenia due to chemotherapy. For this purpose we collected and analysed data on 72 fever episodes from 53 patients with chemotherapy-related neutropenia, aged between 1 and 66 years. Of the 72 episodes, 18 were classified as bacteraemia and/or clinical sepsis (sepsis group). The IL-6 and IL-8 plasma concentration were significantly increased in patients with chemotherapy-related neutropenia and fever due to bacteraemia versus fever of non-bacterial origin (P = 0.043 and P = 0.022 respectively). Logistic regression analysis, with sepsis as the outcome variable, revealed significant effects of age combined with either IL-6 or IL-8. Sepsis occurrence was lowest for patients <16 years and highest in patients between 16 and 50 years, and was higher in patients with increased IL-6 (P = 0.032) or IL-8 (P = 0.049). No significant effect of leucocyte count, C-reactive protein, sex or underlying malignancy at presentation was detected. The plasma IL-6 and IL-8 levels were fairly strongly correlated (Pearson r = 0.62). Using a cut-off value with 100% sensitivity, both IL-8 and IL-6 could define a low-risk group of neutropenic patients of 28% (CI 15-40%) at the start of the febrile period. Intervention studies are warranted to confirm this result and to investigate whether an early discharge based on IL-8 or IL-6 measurement is safe, increases the quality of life, and results in cost savings.
de Bont
E S
ES
Division of Paediatric Oncology, Children's Cancer Centre, Beatrix Children's Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Vellenga
E
E
Swaanenburg
J C
JC
Fidler
V
V
Visser-van Brummen
P J
PJ
Kamps
W A
WA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D002097:C-Reactive Protein