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Research ArticleOriginal Article
Open Access

Fever and granulocytopenia in children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia under induction therapy

Hadir M. Meir, Ibrahim A. Balawi, Hala M. Meer, Hala Nayel and Mohammad F. Al-Mobarak
Saudi Medical Journal May 2001, 22 (5) 423-427;
Hadir M. Meir
Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Hospital & Oncology Center, PO Box 31467, Jeddah 21497, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 (2) 6375555 Ext. 2277. Fax. +966 (2) 6379811. E-mail: [email protected]
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Ibrahim A. Balawi
Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz Hospital and Oncology Center, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Hala M. Meer
Department of Microbiology, King Fahad Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Hala Nayel
Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Hospital and Oncology Center, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Mohammad F. Al-Mobarak
Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz Hospital and Oncology Center, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Infection is one of the most serious complications of cancer therapy. The rationale of using broad spectrum antibiotics prophylactically has led to a great change in the causative organisms. The aim of the present study is to review retrospectively the type and sequence of infectious complications among Saudi children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

METHODS: A total of 233 febrile episodes were observed in 137 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia under induction therapy using modified BFM protocol were studied.

RESULTS: Profound neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil count < 100/mm3) was encountered in 72 episodes (31%). Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of infection were evident in 39% of the neutropenic episodes. The respiratory system was the most frequently affected site encountered in 17% of the episodes. Microbiologically documented infection was recorded in 59% (n=137) of the fever and granulocytopenia episodes. In 96 episodes (41%), there was neither clinical nor microbiological evidence of infection fever of unknown origin. Out of the 932 cultures, positive isolates were detected in 346 cultures (37%). Gram positive cocci were the most frequently organisms (54%) followed by gram negative bacilli (39%). In the current study, 7 patients (3%) died because of direct or indirect consequences of infection.

CONCLUSION: The current study stresses the importance of frequent reviewing of the type, frequency, severity and outcome of infection complications over years to detect changing epidemiological patterns.

  • Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Saudi Medical Journal: 22 (5)
Saudi Medical Journal
Vol. 22, Issue 5
1 May 2001
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Fever and granulocytopenia in children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia under induction therapy
Hadir M. Meir, Ibrahim A. Balawi, Hala M. Meer, Hala Nayel, Mohammad F. Al-Mobarak
Saudi Medical Journal May 2001, 22 (5) 423-427;

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Fever and granulocytopenia in children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia under induction therapy
Hadir M. Meir, Ibrahim A. Balawi, Hala M. Meer, Hala Nayel, Mohammad F. Al-Mobarak
Saudi Medical Journal May 2001, 22 (5) 423-427;
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© 2025 Saudi Medical Journal Saudi Medical Journal is copyright under the Berne Convention and the International Copyright Convention.  Saudi Medical Journal is an Open Access journal and articles published are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC). Readers may copy, distribute, and display the work for non-commercial purposes with the proper citation of the original work. Electronic ISSN 1658-3175. Print ISSN 0379-5284.

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