Empirical antibiotic treatment of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia
Tangen, J.M.; Berentsen, S.; Dahl, I.M.; Ly, B.; Myrvang, B.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 119(1): 35-38
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 10025202 Document Number: 500847
All febrile episodes (a total of 276) which occurred in 85 patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia treated in four Norwegian centres during the period 1990-1994 were studied retrospectively in order to assess the efficacy of antibiotic treatment. 72 % of these episodes were initially treated with benzyl penicillin and aminoglycoside (standard treatment), while alternative empirical treatment was given in the remaining cases. The treatment was successful in 94 % of the febrile episodes initially treated with standard treatment and in 96 % of the episodes which received alternative antibiotics. For both types of treatment, a change to second line antibiotic regimen was made for various reasons in a majority of cases. The combination benzyl penicillin and aminoglycoside seems to be a safe empirical treatment for febrile neutropenia in patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia in our treatment centres, provided that the treatment is modified in patients with unsatisfactory clinical response.