The changing face of febrile neutropenia-from monotherapy to moulds to mucositis. Where do we go from here?
The initiation of monotherapy with a third- or fourth-generation cephalosporin, or with a carbapenem antibiotic, is now established medical practice for the neutropenic patient who becomes febrile. However, when the duration of neutropenia is prolonged (generally more than a week), additions to, or modifications of, the initial antibiotic regimen are necessary based on the evolving clinical and microbiological course of the patient. The rationale for these modifications of the initial therapy in high-risk neutropenic patients is reviewed along with the prospects for reducing the risk status of the neutropenic patient by bolstering or improving the host's immunological system and/or the time to haematological recovery.
Department of Pediatrics and of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94395-5119, USA. ppizzo@stanford.edu
Philip A
PA
Pizzo
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents