Clinical haematology · UKMLA & AKT
Neutropenia and neutropenic sepsis
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
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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