Nursing guidelines for managing infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

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Nursing guidelines for managing infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic

leukemia.

M Moran, M Browning, and E Buckby

Clin J Oncol Nurs, December 1, 2007; 11(6): 914-24.

Cancer Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus.

Infections are a primary cause of death in patients with chronic lymphocytic

leukemia (CLL). Such individuals are particularly susceptible to infectious

complications stemming from immune deficits associated with the primary disease

process and with immunosuppression secondary to treatment. Although the recent

availability of new treatment modalities and more aggressive therapies are

improving outcomes for patients with CLL, standardized approaches are needed so

that nurses can monitor for and manage infections. The aim is overall reduction

in morbidity and mortality, as well as improvement in quality of life. The

current pharmacologic therapies for CLL are alkylating agents, purine nucleoside

analogs, monoclonal antibodies, and combinations of those therapies, which may

present their own unique risks for and different spectra of infectious events.

This article provides an overview of the known risks for developing infections

in CLL, as well as nursing guidelines for monitoring and managing patients with

CLL.

PMID: 18063549