The febrile granulocytopenic patient in the intensive care unit.

Patients treated aggressively for potentially curable hematologic and neoplastic diseases are often admitted with profound granulocytopenia to an intensive care unit. These patients have a high risk of sustaining life-threatening infections caused by various bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal pathogens. Successful management of these critically ill, profoundly granulocytopenic patients by the intensive care team requires an organized, informed, and rational approach to treating their infections.