Clinical haematology · UKMLA & AKT
Neutropenia and neutropenic sepsis
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test. Below are the key points to recognise neutropenia and neutropenic sepsis — the full SA Note notes add investigations, management, complications and 10 practice questions.
Key high-yield points
- Neutropenia = ANC <1.5 x10⁹/L; severe neutropenia = ANC <0.5 x10⁹/L (infection risk rises dramatically); agranulocytosis = ANC <0.1 x10⁹/L
- Neutropenic sepsis = oncological emergency - mortality rises significantly with each hour of antibiotic delay
- Most common cause: cytotoxic chemotherapy - bone marrow suppression + mucositis (gut barrier breakdown) → bacterial translocation → bacteraemia
- Nadir typically 7-14 days after chemotherapy administration
Carbimazole and clozapine are the classic non-chemotherapy drugs causing agranulocytosis. Any patient on these presenting with fever or sore throat requires urgent FBC.
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