Epidemiology of febrile neutropenia in adult patients with hematologic neoplasms in a period of 26 months in Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Colombia

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a significant adverse effect post-chemotherapy due to its high morbidity and mortality. There are few studies in our country with these kind of patients. Objective: To describe the characteristics and mortality in patients with hematologic neoplasms who developed FN post-chemotherapy. Methodology: A descriptive case series in patients with hematologic neoplasms who developed FN post-chemotherapy in Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe. Results: 101 episodes of FN in 43 patients. The median age was 44 years. 63.5% of patients had no apparent clinical focus of infection at admission, 11.8% had soft tissue compromise and 8.9% urinary tract infection. Bacteremia was documented in 41.5% and catheter-associated bacteremia in 3.9%. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli 43.4%, Klebsiella pneumoniae 17.3% and Staphylococcus aureus 8.6%. Of those isolated in blood 84.7% were Gram negative rods and 15.2% were Gram positive bacteria. Piperacillin/tazobactam was the most common empirically prescribed antibiotic (81.1%). Mortality of FN episodes occurred in 8 (7.92%) patients, 5 (62.5%) attributable to infection and 3 (37.5%) due to progression of hematologic malignancy with a resolution of FN. Conclusions: In our case series of FN the microbiological characteristics differed significantly from developed countries, but a similar mortality rate per episode was observed.