Empiric antibiotic regimen for febrile neutropenia in cancer patients: a tertiary oncology center experience
Abstract
Introduction: Neutropenia is a major obstacle in the care of cancer patients. It is common in patients receiving chemotherapy, associated with significant morbidity and mortality, it occurs in 5-30% among patients with solid tumors and exceeds 80% of those undergoing chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies.
Objectives: This study primary endpoint was to assess the clinical outcome of the different antibiotic regimens. The secondary endpoint was to assess the microbiological appropriateness of antibiotic coverage of our carbapenem-sparing empiric regimen for neutropenic fever in patients admitted to the hemato-oncology departments to Augusta Victoria Hospital.
Methods: Patients data were extracted from the hospital health information system for all entries pertaining to neutropenic fever from 1 January 2022 to 30 November 2025. Statistical comparison between empiric antibiotic regimens was not performed because treatment escalation followed a predefined sequential protocol, resulting in non-independent groups. Assessment of antimicrobial appropriateness was completed using IBM SPSS Statistics via Fisher's Exact Test. Patient data analyzed, included antibiotic classes used, bacterial culture results, antimicrobial sensitivity testing, cause of fever and outcome of antimicrobial treatment. Exclusions criteria included prophylaxis prescriptions for neutropenic fever and pediatric patients.
Results: Overall, 208 patients with febrile neutropenia were evaluated between January…
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