A 55-year-old woman receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer presents with a temperature of 38.5 °C, rigors and malaise. Her neutrophil count is 0.2 ×...

Question

A 55-year-old woman receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer presents with a temperature of 38.5 °C, rigors and malaise. Her neutrophil count is 0.2 × 10^9/L. Blood pressure is 100/60 mmHg and heart rate 110 beats per minute. What is the most appropriate immediate management?

Accepted Answer

Admit urgently and give broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics such as Piperacillin with Tazobactam within 1 hour

Answer

Start oral Amoxicillin in the community and recheck in 48 hours

Answer

Advise paracetamol and observe at home

Answer

Wait for blood culture results before starting antibiotics

Answer

Give prophylactic G-CSF only

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Neutropenic sepsis

A 55-year-old woman receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer presents with a temperature of 38.5 °C, rigors and malaise. Her neutrophil count is 0.2 × 10^9/L. Blood pressure is 100/60 mmHg and heart rate 110 beats per minute. What is the most appropriate immediate management?