Clinical outcome of febrile neutropenia in children with cancer using ceftazidime and aminoglycosides.

To determine treatment outcome using ceftazidime-aminoglycosides in febrile neutropenic children with cancer, the authors conducted a prospective cohort study in 216 episodes. Early and complete responses to antibiotics were 108/216 (50.0%) and 133/216 (61.6%) episodes, respectively. Death, a modification of antibiotic(s), and resistance to ceftazidime were 2/118 (1.7%), 73/216 (33.8%), and 4/216 (1.9%) episodes, respectively. Primary bacteremia and emerging bacteremia during treatment were 20/216 (9.3%) and 5/216 (2.3%) episodes. Ceftazidime-aminoglycosides was found to be a reasonable initial treatment of febrile neutropenia in the authors' institution. Imipenem is considered in patients who have clinical sepsis and who fail to respond to initial treatment.