Impact of a Qualitative Intervention with a Unique Febrile Neutropenia Management Protocol in Haematological Patients in a Tertiary Centre

Neutropenia is a common complication of bone marrow dysfunction following chemotherapy in haematology inpatients [1,2]. Many factors put these patients at increased risk of life threatening infection including compromised mucosal barriers secondary to chemotherapy or radiotherapy and multiple intravenous access devises, in addition to neutropenia. In such patients fever may be the only indicator of life threatening infection although occasionally it manifests with hypothermia. Mortality rates for febrile neutropenia (FN) are approximately 10% in recent studies [3,4]. Additionally, there is significant morbidity and health care costs associated with episodes of FN, as many patients require prolonged hospital stays, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions or may undergo delays or reduction in chemotherapy [5,6].