title: Comparison of the occurrence of mold infection among patients receiving chemotherapy for acute leukemia versus patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Invasive mold infections (IMI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematological malignancies. Cumulative incidence numbers vary greatly, probably because local circumstances influence the incidence of IMI. Therefore, comparison of different patient groups at risk should be performed at one hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a single-center retrospective analysis examining both adult patients treated with chemotherapy for acute leukemia or MDS and patients undergoing allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) between June 2007 and August 2009. IMI were classified according to the EORTC criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 211 patients with 237 predefined risk episodes were analyzed. A total of 22 IMI were observed: three of them were classified as proven, 15 as probable, and four as possible. No IMI were observed in the autologous SCT group. The incidence of proven and probable IMI in the allogeneic SCT group was 7.2%, and in the chemotherapy group, 14.3%. Patients with IMI had a higher mortality risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrate for the first time that patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia have the highest risk of developing IMI during their treatment compared to patients with allogeneic SCT.
authors: Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: Anke
authors: A
authors: Janssen
authors: Tjomme
authors: T
authors: van der Bruggen
authors: Pieter-Jan A
authors: PJ
authors: Haas
authors: Pim A
authors: PA
authors: de Jong
authors: Monique C
authors: MC
authors: Minnema
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D055815:Young Adult