Morbidity and mortality in patients with febrile neutropenia from the Hospital Nacional, 2017-2019

Abstract

Introduction: neutropenia is a situation with risk of infections that can generate high morbidity and mortality. Fever is a risk factor for complications. Objective: to determine the relation of fever with morbidity and mortality, and length of hospitalization in patients with neutropenia. Methodology: observational, retrospective design, carried out on adult patients with neutropenia hospitalized at the Hospital Nacional (Itauguá, Paraguay) between 2017 and 2019. Two cohorts were formed: one with neutropenic patients with fever and the other without fever. The independent variable was fever and the dependent variables were morbidity and mortality, hospitalization days, and nosocomial complications. All patients were treated with current protocols. The study had the approval of the Comité de Ética of the Universidad Nacional de Itapúa. Results: 169 subjects with neutropenia entered the study, with a mean age of 44 ± 20 years, being 51,4 % female. The fever cohort was made up of 76 subjects, with a mean hospitalization of 20 ± 10 days and mortality of 30,9 %. The fever-free cohort was made up of 96 subjects, had a mean hospitalization of 15 ± 10 days and mortality of 10,7 %. Conclusions: fever in patients with neutropenia is associated with higher mortality, nosocomial complications and hospital stay.