Efficacy of Empirical Anti-Infective Therapy in Neutropenic Febrile Patients.

NCT ID: NCT07204522

Last Updated: 2025-10-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-22
• Study Completion Date: 2027-09-22

Brief Summary

This single-arm, open-label clinical study evaluates the efficacy and safety of a standardized empirical anti-infective escalation protocol for patients with hematological malignancies complicated by febrile neutropenia. The treatment algorithm follows a sequential strategy: initial carbapenem monotherapy (2 days) → if ineffective, combination with vancomycin/linezolid (3 days) → if no response, escalation to antifungal therapy (7 days). For patients demonstrating persistent or recurrent fever with uncontrolled infection parameters after 12-14 days of prior empirical anti-infective therapy, switching to ceftazidime-avibactam combined with aztreonam is implemented. Therapeutic efficacy is assessed through comprehensive evaluation of clinical manifestations, inflammatory biomarkers, radiographic imaging, and microbiological findings. Comprehensive safety surveillance includes continuous monitoring of adverse events and all-cause mortality throughout the treatment course.

Detailed Description

This study is a single-arm, open-label, observational clinical investigation focusing on patients with hematological malignancies complicated by febrile neutropenia. It aims to evaluate the overall efficacy and safety of a standardized empirical anti-infective treatment algorithm. The protocol employs a unified step-up therapeutic strategy: initial empirical administration of a carbapenem antibiotic (for 2 days); if ineffective, combination with an anti-Gram-positive agent (e.g., vancomycin or linezolid) (for 3 days); if there is still no response, initiation of antifungal therapy (for 7 days); For patients exhibiting persistent or recurrent fever with uncontrolled infection-related parameters after 12-14 days of prior empirical anti-infective therapy, an empirical multidrug-resistant regimen consisting of ceftazidime-avibactam combined with aztreonam is considered. The treatment duration will be adjusted based on neutrophil recovery and febrile status. The study will assess overall efficacy through a comprehensive evaluation of clinical symptoms and signs, inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., C-reactive protein, procalcitonin), radiographic findings, and microbiological results. Safety monitoring will include continuous surveillance of adverse events (AEs) and all-cause mortality throughout the treatment course.

Conditions

Febrile Neutropenia

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Interventions

Carbapenems

First-line empirical agent for febrile neutropenia complicating hematologic malignancies: carbapenem.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Anti-Gram-positive agent

Escalation to a carbapenem plus an anti-Gram-positive agent (vancomycin or linezolid) is instituted if no defervescence occurs after 48h of first-line therapy; this combination is maintained for 3 days before further escalation in febrile-neutropenia patients with underlying hematologic malignancies.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Antifungal agent

If combination therapy with a carbapenem plus an anti-Gram-positive agent (vancomycin or linezolid) remains ineffective after 72 h, empirical antifungal coverage is added while continuing antibacterial therapy for an additional 7 days; failure to defervesce thereafter mandates further therapeutic escalation in febrile-neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancies.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Ceftazidime-avibactam + Aztreonam

If the combination of a carbapenem and an anti-Gram-positive agent (vancomycin or linezolid) fails to achieve defervescence after 3 days of treatment, an antifungal agent is added while continuing the original antibacterial regimen for an additional 7 days. Should fever persist or recur with uncontrolled infection-related parameters after 12-14 days of empirical anti-infective therapy, the carbapenem/anti-Gram-positive combination is discontinued. Therapy is then switched to ceftazidime-avibactam plus aztreonam to cover multidrug-resistant pathogens, while concurrently maintaining antifungal treatment. This escalation strategy is indicated for febrile neutropenic patients with underlying hematologic malignancies.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 18-75 years.
• Documented haematological malignancy: acute leukaemia, severe aplastic anaemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma.
• Neutropenia: absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 0.5 × 10⁹/L, or ANC anticipated to fall below this threshold within 48 h; severe neutropenia defined as ANC < 0.1 × 10⁹/L.
• Fever: single oral temperature ≥ 38.3 °C (axillary ≥ 38.0 °C), or oral temperature ≥ 38.0 °C (axillary ≥ 37.7 °C) sustained for > 1 h.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) 0-2.
• Planned or current empirical use of ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) for febrile neutropenia.

Exclusion Criteria

• Drug-related fever or fever attributable to rheumatic/autoimmune disease.
• Concomitant intracranial haemorrhage.
• Pregnancy, lactation, or intention to become pregnant.
• Psychiatric disorder or any condition precluding protocol compliance.
• Life-threatening arrhythmia or QTc > 500 ms on electrocardiography.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 75 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Shanxi Bethune Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Shanxi Bethune Hospital

Taiyuan, Shanxi, China

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

China

Facility Contacts

Tao Wang, Dr.

Role: primary

wangtao99699@163.com

13835175119

Other Identifiers

ShanxiBethuneH3

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id