Baseline and early lymphopenia predict for the risk of febrile neutropenia after chemotherapy
2003

Predicting Febrile Neutropenia Risk After Chemotherapy

Sample size: 950 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Ray-Coquard I, Borg C, Bachelot Th, Sebban C, Philip I, Clapisson G, Le Cesne A, Biron P, Chauvin F, Blay J Y

Primary Institution: Centre L. Bérard, Lyon, France

Hypothesis

Can baseline and early lymphopenia predict the risk of febrile neutropenia after chemotherapy?

Conclusion

Baseline day 1 lymphopenia is an independent risk factor for febrile neutropenia in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Supporting Evidence

  • Febrile neutropenia is a common and serious complication of chemotherapy.
  • Day 1 lymphocyte count can help identify patients at high risk for febrile neutropenia.
  • Patients with both high-risk chemotherapy and low day 1 lymphocyte counts had a 44% incidence of febrile neutropenia.

Takeaway

Doctors can tell if a patient might get sick after chemotherapy by checking their blood cell count before treatment starts.

Methodology

The study analyzed data from 950 patients treated with chemotherapy, focusing on day 1 and day 5 lymphocyte counts to assess risk factors for febrile neutropenia.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to exclusion of patients with certain conditions and reliance on historical data.

Limitations

The study may not generalize to all cancer patients as it focused on those treated in specific centers.

Participant Demographics

Patients were aged 17 and older, with a mix of genders and various cancer types.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.052

Confidence Interval

1.49–4.8

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6600724

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