[Criteria of low risk of mortality in children with neutropenia and fever during cancer chemotherapy]. / Criterios de bajo riesgo de mortalidad en niños con neutropenia y fiebre durante la quimioterapia por cáncer.

To validate the use of a lower-risk mortality profile in pediatric febrile neutropenia during anticancer therapy and to evaluate the efficacy of a sequential parenteral-oral antibiotic treatment for these children, a prospective study was conducted between May 1997 and December 1999. During this period 247 episodes in 215 patients were included in the present study. Children with neutropenia (ANC < 500/mm3) and fever (> 38 degrees C) due to anticancer therapy were eligible for the study if they presented the following lower-risk conditions: absence of severe co-morbidity factors, good clinical condition, no risk clinical foci, no bacteremia, and responsible parents. They were initially treated with inpatient parenteral short course of ceftriaxone and amikacin followed by ambulatory oral cefixime or ciprofloxacin to complete 7 days. Mean age was 64 (range: 8-200) months. The most common underlying malignant disease was acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 48% (118) of cases and 57% (141) of patients had an indwelling central venous catheter. Clinical evidence of infection was found in 47% (122) of children and the most common site was the upper respiratory tract (81%). Mean period of fever was 1.1 days (r: 1-8) and the duration of neutropenia was 3.9 days (r: 1-9). Sixty-one% (150) of children was discharged with neutropenia. Mean time of hospitalization was 1.5 days. Four clinical failures were detected (1.6%). They all were satisfactorily treated with a secondary treatment and none underwent any major complications or died. The lower-risk profile used was safe and the sequential antibiotic therapy was adequate to manage febrile neutropenia in this subset of children.

Criterios de bajo riesgo de mortalidad en niños con neutropenia y fiebre durante la quimioterapia por cáncer. / [Criteria of low risk of mortality in children with neutropenia and fever during cancer chemotherapy]

To validate the use of a lower-risk mortality profile in pediatric febrile neutropenia during anticancer therapy and to evaluate the efficacy of a sequential parenteral-oral antibiotic treatment for these children, a prospective study was conducted between May 1997 and December 1999. During this period 247 episodes in 215 patients were included in the present study. Children with neutropenia (ANC < 500/mm3) and fever (> 38 degrees C) due to anticancer therapy were eligible for the study if they presented the following lower-risk conditions: absence of severe co-morbidity factors, good clinical condition, no risk clinical foci, no bacteremia, and responsible parents. They were initially treated with inpatient parenteral short course of ceftriaxone and amikacin followed by ambulatory oral cefixime or ciprofloxacin to complete 7 days. Mean age was 64 (range: 8-200) months. The most common underlying malignant disease was acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 48

(118) of cases and 57

(141) of patients had an indwelling central venous catheter. Clinical evidence of infection was found in 47

(122) of children and the most common site was the upper respiratory tract (81

). Mean period of fever was 1.1 days (r: 1-8) and the duration of neutropenia was 3.9 days (r: 1-9). Sixty-one

(150) of children was discharged with neutropenia. Mean time of hospitalization was 1.5 days. Four clinical failures were detected (1.6

). They all were satisfactorily treated with a secondary treatment and none underwent any major complications or died. The lower-risk profile used was safe and the sequential antibiotic therapy was adequate to manage febrile neutropenia in this subset of children.

Oral administration of cefixime to lower risk febrile neutropenic children with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Febrile neutropenia is a heterogeneous condition. Recently, several risk factors have been defined, permitting the definition of a lower risk group of patients who may benefit form less aggressive therapy. The use of an oral antibiotic approach was tested in the current trial. METHODS: From May 1997 to March 1998, 154 episodes of lower risk febrile neutropenia in 128 children with a mean age of 62 (range, 8-200) months were enrolled in this randomized, single-institution trial. Inclusion criteria were fever (> 38 degrees C), neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 500/mm(3)), lower risk features (i.e., absence of severe comorbidity factors, good clinical condition, negative blood cultures, control of local infection, no fever during the last 24 hours), and compliance of parents. After 3 days of ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg/day administered intravenously [i.v.]) every 12 hours plus amikacin (15 mg/kg/day i.v.) every 24 hours for 3 days, all patients were discharged and randomized to be allocated to 2 treatment arms. Group A (n = 74) received ceftriaxone cefixime (8 mg/kg/day administered orally) every 24 hours for 4 days, whereas Group B (n = 80) was treated with ceftriaxone plus amikacin for 7 days. Failure was defined as the need for second hospitalization during the same episode of neutropenia, or fever during the 7 days after discharge. RESULTS: Most of the patients (49% in Group A and 55% in Group B) had acute leukemia. Fifty-four (72%) children in Group A and 46 (56%) in Group B had fever of unknown origin (P = not significant [NS]). No significant differences were found in the sites of initial infection between the two groups. Overall results were outstanding, with a favorable outcome in 73 of 78 cases (98.6%) in Group A and 78 of 80 cases (97.5%) in Group B (P = NS). Three patients needed a second hospitalization due to failure of the initial therapy: one in Group A and two in Group B. All three did well with secondary treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In lower risk febrile neutropenic children receiving anticancer therapy, the efficacy of oral cefixime, given for 4 days after 72 hours of intravenous ceftriaxone plus amikacin, was similar to that of 7 days of parenteral ceftriaxone plus amikacin. The oral outpatient therapy approach to the treatment of lower risk febrile neutropenia after chemotherapy is safe and may be cost-saving. This strategy might be adopted as standard therapy in the future.

[Risk factors for nosocomial bacterial infection in children: a case-control study]. / Factores de riesgo de adquisición de bacteriemias intranosocomiales en niños. Un estudio de casos y controles.

With the objective to identify independent risk factors associated with the development of nosocomial bacteremia, we have performed a prospective, exploratory, case-control study. All non-neutropenic children with nosocomial bacteremia admitted during a seven-month period were eligible. All children non-neutropenic without nosocomial bacteremia were eligible as controls. The incidence of bacteremia in the study population was 11.3/1000 admissions. Ninety one cases and ninety nine controls were analyzed. In 46% of patients clinical foci were detected. The catheter-related infection was the most frequently founded. Staphylococcus spp coagulase negative, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the microorganisms more frequently isolated. Multivariate analysis identified five risk factors independently associated with nosocomial bacteremia: admission outside of Intensive Care Units (ICU) (OR: 8.14, 2.60-25.5), previous antibiotic treatment (OR: 5.02, 2.18-11.5), invasive procedures (OR: 5.35, 1.70-16.8), without surgery (OR: 2.99, 1.37-6.52) and the presence of central venous lines (OR: 5.35, 2.13-12.4). Our data give strong support for the value of testing strict guidelines for limiting vascular catheter and antibiotic use, and limiting the invasive procedures.

Bacteriemias intranosocomiales por Staphylococcus Aureus enpediatría Análisis clínico y de los factores de riesgo de mortalidad / Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial bacteriemia in children: analysis of clinical aspects andrisk factors for mortality

el objetivo de analizar las características epidemiológicas, microbiológicas, clínicas y de evolución de las bacteriemias intranosocomiales por Staphylococcus aureus y establecer factores de riesgo de mortalidad, se realizó un estudio prospectivo, descriptivo, longitudinal y comparativo entre enero de 1990 y diciembre de 1994. Fueron incluídos todos los niños mayores de un mes de vida con dos hemocultivos positivos para Sa, o unhemocultivo positivo y clínica compatible con sepsis luego de 72 horas de hospitalización. Durante el período de estudio se diagnosticaron 182 bacteriemias porSa. De ellas 122 (67 por ciento) fueron intranosocomiales (2.2/1000 admisiones). El 59 por ciento (72) fueron por Sa meticilino-sensible (SaMS) y el 41 por ciento (50) por Sa meticilino-resistente (SaMR). Las características de los pacientes de ambos grupos fueron semejantes (sexo, edad, enfermedad de base y procedimientos invasivos previos). Los niños con bacteriemia por SaMR tuvieron mayor tiempo previo de internación y mayor proporción de antibióticos previos que los niños con bacteriemia por SaMS (p>- 0.05). La frecuencia de focos clínicos inicial yposterior fue de 78 por ciento vs. 76 por ciento y 28 por ciento vs. 22 por ciento en el grupo con SaMR y SaMS respectivamente (p>- 0.05) Los pacientes con bacteriemias por SaMR tuvieron mayor tiempo de hospitalización y de tratamiento de antibiótico (p>- 0.05). Fallecieron 17 niños (34 por ciento) con infección por SaMR y 10 (14 por ciento) con SaMS (p>- 0.05). Al analizar los factores de riesgode mortalidad mediante un análisis multivariado por regresión logística múltiple se pudo determinar una relación entre la mortalidad y la mayor edad de los pacientes (RR 1.1; 1-1.02), la hipotensión arterial (RR 14.6; 3.68-57.7) y la meticilino resistencia (RR 5.21; 1.81-15). El tratamiento antibiótico previo predispone a padecer bacteriemias por SaMR en el ámbito intranosocomial. Las bacteriemias por SaMR se producen en niños con mayor tiempo previo de hospitalización y generan mayor tiempo de internación y de tratamiento antibiótico. Los pacientes conmayor edad, hipotensión arterial y con infección por SaMR tienen mayor probabilidad de morir. (AU)

Bacteriemias intranosocomiales por Staphylococcus Aureus enpediatría Análisis clínico y de los factores de riesgo de mortalidad / Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial bacteriemia in children: analysis of clinical aspects andrisk factors for mortality

el objetivo de analizar las características epidemiológicas, microbiológicas, clínicas y de evolución de las bacteriemias intranosocomiales por Staphylococcus aureus y establecer factores de riesgo de mortalidad, se realizó un estudio prospectivo, descriptivo, longitudinal y comparativo entre enero de 1990 y diciembre de 1994. Fueron incluídos todos los niños mayores de un mes de vida con dos hemocultivos positivos para Sa, o unhemocultivo positivo y clínica compatible con sepsis luego de 72 horas de hospitalización. Durante el período de estudio se diagnosticaron 182 bacteriemias porSa. De ellas 122 (67 por ciento) fueron intranosocomiales (2.2/1000 admisiones). El 59 por ciento (72) fueron por Sa meticilino-sensible (SaMS) y el 41 por ciento (50) por Sa meticilino-resistente (SaMR). Las características de los pacientes de ambos grupos fueron semejantes (sexo, edad, enfermedad de base y procedimientos invasivos previos). Los niños con bacteriemia por SaMR tuvieron mayor tiempo previo de internación y mayor proporción de antibióticos previos que los niños con bacteriemia por SaMS (p>- 0.05). La frecuencia de focos clínicos inicial yposterior fue de 78 por ciento vs. 76 por ciento y 28 por ciento vs. 22 por ciento en el grupo con SaMR y SaMS respectivamente (p>- 0.05) Los pacientes con bacteriemias por SaMR tuvieron mayor tiempo de hospitalización y de tratamiento de antibiótico (p>- 0.05). Fallecieron 17 niños (34 por ciento) con infección por SaMR y 10 (14 por ciento) con SaMS (p>- 0.05). Al analizar los factores de riesgode mortalidad mediante un análisis multivariado por regresión logística múltiple se pudo determinar una relación entre la mortalidad y la mayor edad de los pacientes (RR 1.1; 1-1.02), la hipotensión arterial (RR 14.6; 3.68-57.7) y la meticilino resistencia (RR 5.21; 1.81-15). El tratamiento antibiótico previo predispone a padecer bacteriemias por SaMR en el ámbito intranosocomial. Las bacteriemias por SaMR se producen en niños con mayor tiempo previo de hospitalización y generan mayor tiempo de internación y de tratamiento antibiótico. Los pacientes conmayor edad, hipotensión arterial y con infección por SaMR tienen mayor probabilidad de morir.

Factores de riesgo de adquisición de bacteriemias intranosocomiales en niños. Un estudio de casos y controles. / [Risk factors for nosocomial bacterial infection in children: a case-control study]

With the objective to identify independent risk factors associated with the development of nosocomial bacteremia, we have performed a prospective, exploratory, case-control study. All non-neutropenic children with nosocomial bacteremia admitted during a seven-month period were eligible. All children non-neutropenic without nosocomial bacteremia were eligible as controls. The incidence of bacteremia in the study population was 11.3/1000 admissions. Ninety one cases and ninety nine controls were analyzed. In 46

of patients clinical foci were detected. The catheter-related infection was the most frequently founded. Staphylococcus spp coagulase negative, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the microorganisms more frequently isolated. Multivariate analysis identified five risk factors independently associated with nosocomial bacteremia: admission outside of Intensive Care Units (ICU) (OR: 8.14, 2.60-25.5), previous antibiotic treatment (OR: 5.02, 2.18-11.5), invasive procedures (OR: 5.35, 1.70-16.8), without surgery (OR: 2.99, 1.37-6.52) and the presence of central venous lines (OR: 5.35, 2.13-12.4). Our data give strong support for the value of testing strict guidelines for limiting vascular catheter and antibiotic use, and limiting the invasive procedures.

[Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in children: analysis of mortality risk factors]. / Bacteriemias en niños por Staphylococcus aureus adquiridas en la comunidad: análisis de los factores de riesgo de mortalidad.

Sixty episodes of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SaCB) were prospectively analyzed between January 1990 and December 1994. The mean age of the patients was 78 (1-180) months. Thirteen (55%) of the children had underlying disease, the most frequent one being acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In 83% of the episodes a primary site of infection was observed. Skin and osteoarticular foci were the most frequently encountered. Only two patients had endocarditis. Arterial hypotension was detected in 17% of the patients. Ninety two percent of S. aureus isolated were penicillin-resistant. Only two strains were methicillin-resistant. In 24 (40%) episodes where metastatic foci were detected, osteoarticular infections were predominant. Mortality due to SaCB was 20%. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression revealed that arterial hypotension (RR = 24.8; 4.77-128.9), leucopenia (RR = 10.3; 1.25-86.2) and non hemato-oncologic diseases (RR = 10.0; 1.09-92.2) correlated with high mortality rate (p = < 0.001).