Prognostic Impact of Neutropenia in Cancer Patients with Septic Shock: A 2009–2017 Nationwide Cohort Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The prognostic impact of neutropenia on mortality in cancer patients with septic shock remains controversial despite recent advances in cancer and sepsis management.

This study aimed to determine whether neutropenia could be related to an increase in short-term and long-term mortality.

This population-based, case–control study used data from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea.

Adult cancer patients who presented to the emergency department with septic shock from 2009 to 2017 were analyzed.

The 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were evaluated as short-term and long-term outcomes.

After adjustment for confounders, neutropenia was independently associated with decreased 30-day and 1-year mortality rates.

Neutropenia did not increase mortality in cancer patients with septic shock, suggesting that neutropenia may not be used as a single triage criterion for withholding intensive care in cancer patients presenting to the emergency department with septic shock.

ABSTRACT: (1) Background: Neutropenia’s prognostic impact on mortality in cancer patients with septic shock remains controversial despite recent advances in cancer and sepsis management.

This population-based, case–control study aimed to determine whether neutropenia could be related to an increase in short-term and long-term mortality.

(2) Methods: This population-based, case–control study used data from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea.

Adult cancer patients who presented to the emergency department with septic shock from 2009 to 2017 were included.

The 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were evaluated as short-term and long-term outcomes.

Cox proportional hazard regression was performed after adjusting for age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, and neutropenia.

(3) Results: In 43,466 adult cancer patients with septic shock, the 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were 52.1% and 81.3%, respectively.

In total, 6391 patients had neutropenic septic shock, and the prevalent cancer type was lung cancer, followed by leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, stomach cancer, and colon cancer.

Furthermore, 30-day and 1-year mortality was lower in patients with neutropenia than in those without neutropenia.

After adjustment for confounders, neutropenia was independently associated with decreased 30-day and 1-year mortality rates.

(4) Conclusions: In cancer patients presenting to the emergency department with septic shock, the presence of neutropenia did not increase mortality.

This suggests that neutropenia may not be used as a single triage criterion for withholding intensive care in cancer patients presenting to the emergency department with septic shock.