Time to antibiotics and outcomes in cancer patients with febrile neutropenia.
BACKGROUND
Febrile neutropenia is an oncologic emergency. The timing of antibiotics administration in patients with febrile neutropenia may result in adverse outcomes. Our study aims to determine time-to- antibiotic administration in patients with febrile neutropenia, and its relationship with length of hospital stay, intensive care unit monitoring, and hospital mortality.


METHODS
The study population was comprised of adult cancer patients with febrile neutropenia who were hospitalized, at a tertiary care hospital, between January 2010 and December 2011. Using Multination Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) risk score, the study cohort was divided into high and low risk groups. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to assess relationship between time-to- antibiotic administration and various outcome variables.


RESULTS
One hundred and five eligible patients with median age of 60 years (range: 18-89) and M:F of 43:62 were identified. Thirty-seven (35%) patients were in MASCC high risk group. Median time-to- antibiotic administration was 2.5 hrs (range: 0.03-50) and median length of hospital stay was 6 days (range: 1-57). In the multivariate analysis time-to- antibiotic administration (regression coefficient [RC]: 0.31 days [95% CI: 0.13-0.48]), known source of fever (RC: 4.1 days [95% CI: 0.76-7.5]), and MASCC high risk group (RC: 4 days [95% CI: 1.1-7.0]) were significantly correlated with longer hospital stay. Of 105 patients, 5 (4.7%) died & or required ICU monitoring. In multivariate analysis no variables significantly correlated with mortality or ICU monitoring.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study revealed that delay in antibiotics administration has been associated with a longer hospital stay.
Thomas
T
Perron
Mohamed
M
Emara
Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. shahid.ahmed@saskcancer.ca.
Shahid
S
Ahmed
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D064147:Febrile Neutropenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents