Risk factors for sepsis-related death in children and adolescents with hematologic and malignant diseases

Background The aim of this study was to elucidate risk factors for mortality after developing sepsis in pediatric patients with hematologic and malignant disorders. Methods A total of 90 patients (43 boys, 47 girls) with various hematologic and malignant diseases who experienced sepsis between June 2006 and March 2014 were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory features of 134 episodes of sepsis observed in the 90 patients were compared between those with and without sepsis-related death which was defined as death within 14 days after sepsis. Results Age at hospitalization, sex, and type of underlying disease did not differ between patients with and without sepsis-related death. Sepsis episode-based univariate analysis identified patients with a history of relapse or in a refractory state of underlying disease ( p < 0.01), those with high C-reactive protein concentrations (≥50 mg/L) at the beginning of fever ( p < 0.01), those who had undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ( p < 0.01), and those who were forced to change initial antibiotics ( p = 0.02) because of being at high risk of sepsis-related death. The former two factors were further confirmed by multivariate analysis. More than half (52.9%) the isolates from sepsis-related death were Gram-positive cocci resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, but susceptible to vancomycin. Conclusion It was found that a history of relapse, a refractory state of underlying disease, and high C-reactive protein concentrations at the beginning of fever were significant risk factors for mortality after developing sepsis. Survival rate of patients with risk factors raised in this study might be improved by early introduction of vancomycin.