Fever and Infection Prevalence in Hematology-Oncology Hospitalized Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Abstract

Fever is prevalent in hospitalized patients. In hematology-oncology patients, it is related with infection, a disease manifestation or a consequence of immunological dysfunction. This single-center retrospective study aims to determine fever prevalence, describe its causes and evaluate the impact of infection on mortality. We reviewed clinical records of 222 patients admitted to the hospital in three random months of 2015. Around 35% of all hospitalizations were complicated by fever, 42.5% of unknown origin. 90.4% were under treatment. Around 81% did antibiotics, most commonly piperacillin/tazobactam, for around 11 days. 41% changed antibiotics due to fever persistence or microbiological results. The diagnostic yield of microbiological tests was 25%; in 66.7%, a Gram-negative microorganism was isolated. We didn't find an association between infection and mortality. We conclude that fever is common in our hematology-oncology clinic and that the team is trained to assume infection; empirical treatment is in accordance with international recommendations.