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. 2021 Jun;62(6):479-486.
doi: 10.3349/ymj.2021.62.6.479.

Incidence and Clinical Outcomes of Febrile Neutropenia in Adult Cancer Patients with Chemotherapy Using Korean Nationwide Health Insurance Database

Dalyong Kim #  1 , Soohyeon Lee #  2 , Taemi Youk  3   4 , Soojung Hong  5
Affiliations

Incidence and Clinical Outcomes of Febrile Neutropenia in Adult Cancer Patients with Chemotherapy Using Korean Nationwide Health Insurance Database

Dalyong Kim et al. Yonsei Med J. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the episodes of febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients with gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), lung cancer (LC), and breast cancer (BC); and to identify the incidence and trends of admission rates, as well as factors affecting mortality.

Materials and methods: Using nationwide claims data, all new admissions to hospitals for FN were selected. We evaluated the incidence of FN and mortality-related clinical factors in adult cancer patients who received cytotoxic chemotherapy from January 2004 to December 2013.

Results: While the incidence of FN increased, the length of hospitalization decreased in Korea. The incidence of FN was 19.8% in LC patients, 15.5% in GC patients, 13.3% in BC patients, and 9.5% in CRC patients. The overall in-hospital mortality of FN was 12.9% and showed a decreasing trend. Admission rates to intensive care units and in-hospital mortality were the highest for lung cancer (15.2% and 19.3%, respectively). Age and sepsis syndrome were risk factors for in-hospital mortality for all cancer types.

Conclusion: Careful observation and active prophylaxis should be considered for patients at high risk of FN.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; febrile neutropenia; national health insurance.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Consort diagram for the patient selection process. AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Trends of hospitalization for FN. (A) Number of patients with FN. (B) Incidence of FN. FN, febrile neutropenia; GC, gastric cancer; CRC, colorectal cancer; LC, lung cancer; BC, breast cancer.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Trends of mean hospitalization days for febrile neutropenia. GC, gastric cancer; CRC, colorectal cancer; LC, lung cancer; BC, breast cancer.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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