Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Infections in febrile neutropenic patients is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality. This study was performed to evaluate the infection categories, isolated pathogen microorganisms, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and mortality ratio of febrile neutropenic episodes (FNEs).

METHODS

In the study, 47 patients who were treated because of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital’s adult hematology clinic between 2012 and 2013. 111 FNEs were examined retrospectively. Infections of patients who met FNE criterias were categorized as microbiologic defined infection (MDI), clinical defined infection (CDI) and fever of unknown origin (FUO).

RESULTS

28 (59.5%) patients were male and 19 (40.5%) female. The mean age was found 57±15 years. FNEs was evaluated in 12.6% CDI, 55.9% MDI, and 34.2% FUO categories. The most observed clinical manifestations were pneumoniae (41.4%). pathogen microorganisms were determined from 54.1 of the FNEs. Isolated microorganisms from cultures from cultures were 57% were gram-negative bacteries, 36.2% were gram-positive, and 8.5% were fungus. Most of the pathogens were multi drug resistant. The crude mortality were found 21.2%.

CONCLUSION

As for the prevention of resistant bacterial infections in the management of the FNEs, implementation of effective infection control programmes, continual assessment of surveillance results and administration of rational antibiotic policies through monitoring antibiotic sensitivities are required.