Fever and Neutropenia in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Outpatient management of patients considered to be at low risk for serious bacterial infection has been explored using risk stratification schema based on clinical parameters. First, patients will be stratified based on a clinical risk stratification schema. Patients stratified to the low risk group will be randomized between treatment using standard inpatient intravenous antibiotic therapy or outpatient antibiotic therapy using primarily an oral regimen. Second, an evaluation of proteins important to the innate immune system will be performed to provide a molecular characterization of episodes based on etiology. Third, single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes important for innate immunity will be evaluated to determine effect of each on infection risk during treatment induced neutropenia. Finally, we will develop a bank of both plasma and DNA specimens correlated with clinical outcomes for future use.