Abstract
The clinical records of ninety patients with acute leukemia under 15 years of age, who were seen between 1965 and 1973 at the National Children's Hospital, were reviewed.
Major causes of death in acute leukemia were bacterial infection in about 60% of patients and hemorrhage in 20%.
Recently, bacterial infections have increased and fatal hemorrhage declined to about half the early rate. Gram-negative septicemia, pneumonia, perianorectal abscess, otitis media and skin infections were the most common types of bacterial infections.
In first remission induction, 30 patients had no evidence of infection and 40 patients had one or more episodes of infectious diseases. The patients under 2 years of age seemed to be more susceptible to infections.
An absolute neutrophile count of less than 500/cu mm was the herald of serious bactrial infection.
The combinations of carbenicillin and gentamicin or kanamycin were used to treat severe bacterial infections. In 13 patients with septicemia, favorable results were observed in 6 patients.
Serious bacterial infections occurred ln 14 patients and fungal infections were observed in 8 out of 22 autopsied cases, respectively.
