CEFTRIAXONE IN THE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT OF CANCER-PATIENTS WITH FEVERAND NEUTROPENIA

A study was performed in low-risk cancer patients with chemotherapy-in duced febrile neutropenia to determine the safety and efficacy of ceft riaxone given in an outpatient setting. A total of 126 episodes of feb rile neutropenia in 120 clinically stable outpatients were treated wit h intravenous ceftriaxone alone (n=100) or in combination with other a ntibiotics (n=26). The mean neutrophil count was 460/mm(3); severe neu tropenia (<100/mm(3)) was observed in 18 episodes. The initial treatme nt with ceftriaxone (alone or in combination) was successful in 99 epi sodes (78%), Ninety-five episodes (76%) were successfully treated in a n outpatient setting only; admission to hospital was necessary in 31 e pisodes (24%), but no infection-related death was observed. Ceftriaxon e seems to be safe and effective for outpatient therapy of patients wi th low-risk febrile neutropenia.