Invasive bacterial and fungal infections in paediatric patients with cancer: Incidence, risk factors, aetiology and outcomes in a UK regional cohort 2009–2011

Abstract

This study provides an updated risk estimate for bloodstream infections in children with cancer and adds to the framework for developing evidence-based guidance for management of suspected infections in this highly vulnerable group.

Risk factors for sepsis-related death in children and adolescents with hematologic and malignant diseases

“…The mortality rate of sepsis in this study was 11.2% (15/134), which was higher than those of previous reports (1~4%). [1][2][3][4]15 This discrepancy might be due to differences in the studied patients. While cases with a history of relapse or in a refractory state, which were among the potent risk factors for sepsis-related death as defined in this study, were not included in the studies described in previous reports, [1][2][3][4]15 such cases constituted 26.1% of our analyzed patients.…”

“…[1][2][3][4]15 This discrepancy might be due to differences in the studied patients. While cases with a history of relapse or in a refractory state, which were among the potent risk factors for sepsis-related death as defined in this study, were not included in the studies described in previous reports, [1][2][3][4]15 such cases constituted 26.1% of our analyzed patients. The mortality rate of patients with sepsis excluding those with a history of relapse or in a refractory state in this study was almost the same as in previous studies; 1-4,15 thus, the higher mortality rate in our study could be explained simply by the higher rate of cases with a history of relapse or in a refractory state in the study population.…”

Early central line‐associated blood stream infections in children with cancer pose a risk for premature catheter removal

“…These include different methodological approaches to identifying and verifying a CLABSI, differences in patient cohorts, different institutional guidelines on prophylactic antibiotics before the implantation of a CVC, prophylactic antibiotics during chemotherapy and socio‐demographic differences. Some of these studies also followed their patients over longer time periods, which could give a lower incidence, as most infections tend to occur during the early parts of treatment . The American National Healthcare Safety Network set the benchmark for CLABSI for paediatric oncology patients at 2.3 episodes per 1000 CVC days for 2006–2008 .…”

The in vitro effects of interferon-gamma, alone or in combination with amphotericin B, tested against the pathogenic fungi Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus

“…Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening fungal disease of individuals undergoing immunosuppressive treatments such transplants or those with predisposing conditions such as advanced AIDS [ 1 , 2 ]. Despite current treatment methods the mortality rate is as high as 40% and the number of effective antifungal agents available is limited due to the similarity between fungal and mammalian cells.…”