To determine significant medical outcomes in febrile children presenting to an ambulatory setting with neutropenia and/or leukopenia.
Methods: Retrospective medical record review conducted on febrile patients who had a blood culture drawn, with white blood cell counts less than 5,000/mm3 and/or an absolute neutrophil count less than 1000/mm3. Ninety-one patients were identified; 5 with positive blood culture results, 13 with significant non-oncologic disease, and 3 patients with leukemia who had involvement of 2 or more cell lines.
Conclusions: In the majority of patients, clinical judgment, physical findings, and review of all cell lines of the complete blood cell count identified those with significant disease.