Introduction: Febrile neutropenia is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in leukemic patients. These children mostly require parenteral antibiotics because an absolute neutrophil count <500 cells/mm3 conferred a high risk of bacteremia though their correlation with positive blood cultures were rarely proven. This study was undertaken with the sole aim of finding the clinical profile of febrile neutropenia in children with leukemia in our hospital and the various factors influencing its occurrence and its prognosis.

Materials and Methods: This hospital based descriptive study was conducted at IMCH Calicut between Jan2014-Dec2015 and included all leukemic children presenting with one or more febrile neutropenic episodes (fever >38.3 C or 101.5F & ANC <500).

Results: Total of 38 children with 53 febrile neutropenic episodes were encountered. Children above 5 years of age (n=8/18; CI 41.1%; p=0.004) and those with severe anemia (Hb<7g/dl) had statistically significant (n=8/19; CI 29.6%; p=0.012) correlation with mortality.

Conclusion: This study established correlation between the age, type of malignancy, severity of anemia and organisms grown in febrile neutropenic children and their risk of mortality.

Keywords: Neutropenia, Absolute Neutrophil Count, Leukemia.

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Dr Ajit Kumar V T

Professor and Head, Department of Paediatrics,

Govt Medical College, Manjeri, Kerala