Diverticulitis in the neutropenic patient

Abstract

Diverticulitis is a common gastrointestinal disease; however, it is rarely described in patients with immunosuppression. Neutropenic patients who present with fever and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding are suspected to have Clostridium difficile colitis or typhlitis. However, a third possibility, diverticulitis, should be considered and can lead to complications of perforation and sepsis. Acute diverticulitis in the setting of neutropenia is rarely reported in the literature. We present 2 cases of diverticulitis in neutropenic patients with acute myeloid leukemia.