Antibacterial prophylaxis in neutropenic children with cancer

Abstract

During the period of neutropenia due to chemotherapy, patients have high risk of infections. The use of antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce neutropenia-related complications in oncologic patients is still disputed. Recent meta-analysis and clinical trials demonstrated that antibiotic prophylaxis with chinolons reduces fever episodes, bacterial infections and mortality in adult oncologic patients with neutropenia due to chemotherapy for acute leukaemia. In paediatric patients, the only randomized, double-blind, prospective study up till now suggested that Amoxicillin clavulanate may represent an effective prophylactic treatment to reduce fever and infections in oncologic children with neutropenia, with an efficacy statistically demonstrated only in patients with acute leukaemia. Considering the risk of resistances, antibiotic-prophylaxis should be used only in selected patients.