Febrile Neutropenia in Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Febrile neutropenia is a serious complication of cancer treatment and causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially when these patients present with sepsis or septic shock requiring intensive care unit admission. Careful assessment and evaluation of these patients and appropriate empiric antibiotics can reduce mortality. Current guidelines recommend antipseudomonal antibiotics as empiric treatment; combination therapy is recommended in hemodynamic unstable patients. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor does not improve survival but decreases length of stay in cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Antifungals drugs are recommended in patients with prolonged, unexplained fever. Sepsis has a high mortality rate in these patients even with rapid and appropriate empiric antibiotic coverage. More studies on treatment and outcome in patients with febrile neutropenia are needed.