Even C, Bastuji-Garin S, Hicheri Y et al. Haematologica 2011;96:337–41.
Invasive fungal disease (IFD) in acute leukemia is associated with a mortality rate of 23–42%. Even in patients who survive the IFD episode, a negative impact on the treatment course of the leukemia may persist. In this case–control study, the authors show that patients with IFD are more likely to experience delays in chemotherapy and changes in the treatment regimen than are matched controls.
Even et al. conducted a case–control study with the purpose of determining the impact of invasive fungal disease (IFD) on the subsequent treatment of acute leukemia. Patients with acute leukemia were eligible for inclusion if they were >15 years old, had probable or proven IFD, were receiving a chemotherapy protocol, were alive at ≥4 weeks after IFD diagnosis, and were not transplant recipients. The control group were recruited in a 3:1 ratio to the cases, and consisted of patients aged >15 years without IFD. Controls were matched for sex, age within 5 years, type of leukemia, chemotherapy protocol, treatment phase (induction, consolidation, or relapse treatment), leukemia status (remission vs. failure), and year of treatment.