Multiple lines of chemotherapy are the main risk factor for severe infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with febrile episodes.
We report on febrile episodes occurring among 379 patients affected by chronic lymphocytic leukemia, observed from 1984 to 2002. One hundred and twenty eight patients (33.7%) developed 341 febrile episodes, of which 251 were documented infections (82 severe and 169 moderate). Among various risk factors, only previous treatment with multiple regimens of chemotherapy was associated with severity of infection (p=0.0005).
Molteni
Alfredo
A
Nosari
Annamaria
A
Montillo
Marco
M
Cafro
Anna
A
Klersy
Catherine
C
Morra
Enrica
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents