Use of antibacterial prophylaxis in patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Antibiotic prophylaxis has been found to have multiple benefits in patients receiving intensive chemotherapy at high risk for infection. Interest continues in identifying what additional groups of high-risk patients might potentially benefit from its use. However, concerns about the potential emergence of antibiotic resistance have led to multiple recent studies exploring this issue. RECENT FINDINGS: The use of antibiotic prophylaxis in pediatric leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and hematopoietic stem cell transplant populations has been evaluated in recent studies. Several centers have noted increased rates of antibiotic resistance in patients receiving prophylaxis. SUMMARY: Several single-center studies have emphasized the concern for the emergence of antibiotic resistance associated with the routine use of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis. The potential for antibiotic resistance continues to be worrisome and warrants further ongoing studies.