Neutropenic Sepsis
- Neutropenic sepsis is an oncology emergency defined as a temperature of ≥38⁰C, or temperature of ≥37.5⁰C on two occasions recorded 1 hour apart AND neutrophil count ≤1.0×109/L or other clinical signs of sepsis in a cancer patient who received systemic chemotherapy within the past 6 weeks or had bone marrow transplant or with immunosuppression
- Severe Neutropenia <0.5×10*9/L
- Very severe neutropenia <0.2×10*9/L
Patients may appear fit and well. If left untreated can result in death within 48hours in up to 50% of patients
Risk factors:
- Duration of neutropenia
- Co-morbid conditions
- Type of disease
- Other cancer therapies/treatments
- Elderly patients
- Frequent hospitalisations
- Malnutrition
- Indwelling vascular devices
Management of Neutropenic Sepsis
- Prompt initiation of broad spectrum antibiotics
- Fluid resuscitation Maintenance
- Oxygen
- BC
- Lactate
- Urine output
Antibiotics should be given within 1 hour “Door to needle time”
Video about preventable death
Please see guidelines
