Neutropenic Enterocolitis in Children with Acute Leukemia or Aplastic Anemia

• Published in: International journal of hematology Vol. 86; no. 4; pp. 364 - 368
• Main Authors: ALIOGLU, Bulent, AVCI, Zekai, OZCAY, Figen, ARDA, Serdar, OZBEK, Namik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer 01-11-2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anemia, Aplastic - complications; Anemia, Aplastic - drug therapy; Anemia, Aplastic - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Enterocolitis, Neutropenic - complications; Enterocolitis, Neutropenic - drug therapy; Enterocolitis, Neutropenic - pathology; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - complications; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - drug therapy; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Other diseases. Hematologic involvement in other diseases; Other diseases. Semiology; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - complications; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - drug therapy; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - pathology; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Human; Leukopenia; Hematology; Appendicitis; Aplastic anemia; Acute leukemia; Hemopathy; Enterocolitis; Neutropenic enterocolitis; Bone marrow failure; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Child; Neutropenia
• ISSN: 0925-5710; 1865-3774
• DOI: 10.1532/IJH97.E0739

Neutropenic enterocolitis (NE) and acute appendicitis are life-threatening conditions that develop in children with severe or prolonged neutropenia secondary to acute leukemia and lymphoma. The medical records of 118 patients who were treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (69 patients), acute myelogenous leukemia (22 patients), or aplastic anemia (27 patients) between 1997 and 2006 in our hospital pediatric hematology department were examined retrospectively. NE was diagnosed in 11 patients (age range, 2.5-16 years) on the basis of clinical and laboratory features. Two of these 11 patients had appendicitis in addition to NE. Conservative treatment was favored for all patients, but 1 patient with acute appendicitis underwent surgery. Neutropenic patients with a hematologic malignancy and abdominal pain should receive their diagnoses immediately and undergo treatment. NE and acute appendicitis should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain. Conservative treatment must be chosen initially for patients with NE, and these patients should be evaluated carefully for surgery. The criteria for the surgical process are the same as those for immunocompetent children. In addition, the close monitoring of hematologic factors is necessary.