Symptoms of Neutropenic Sepsis
Neutropenic sepsis is when a low white cell count leads to sepsis. In this article we explore the symptoms of neutropenic sepsis in more detail.
Neutropenia
Neutropenia is a low number of neutrophils – a type of white blood cell. White blood cells help to fight off infection. Therefore someone who is neutropenic will be more vulnerable to infection, and furthermore, will be unable to fight off an infection.
When the immune system is unable to overcome an infection, the body will initiate a septic inflammatory response. The first stage of this response is called sepsis. If fast treatment is not provided, the patient will go on to develop severe sepsis and septic shock.
Symptoms of neutropenic sepsis
The early symptoms of neutropenic sepsis are:
- Feeling hot and cold with uncontrollable shivering (rigors)
- Diarrhoea
Next, the patient will develop the following symptoms of neutropenic sepsis:
- Fever
- Cold, clammy skin which may also change in appearance (with a rash or pale/mottled skin)
- Restlessness and mental confusion
- Fast heart rate
- Low blood pressure
Who gets neutropenic sepsis?
Anyone with neutropenia – an abnormally low number of white blood cells – is at risk of getting neutropenic sepsis. This includes:
- Chemotherapy patients
- Patients with blood disorders or illnesses
- The elderly
- Those in poor health
- Patients with ischaemic heart disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Medical practitioners should know that these groups of people are in danger of developing neutropenic sepsis. This knowledge should enable a prompt diagnosis, as a medical practitioners should quickly make a link between a patient's symptoms and the fact they are at risk of neutropenic sepsis.
Delayed diagnosis of neutropenic sepsis
A prompt diagnosis is essential in neutropenic sepsis because it is a very aggressive condition that can be fatal if not treated in time. Once diagnosed, intravenous antibiotics must be administered within one hour and the hospital's neutropenic sepsis protocol implemented.
If this is achieved in time, it is possible to prevent a patient from deteriorating. But if there is any sort of delay – even a delay of just one hour – the patient will become extremely unwell. If he/she progresses to septic shock, the condition could prove to be fatal.
Expert legal advice
If you, or your loved one, suffered a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of neutropenic sepsis, you may want to speak to a solicitor. There could be a case of medical negligence, which would entitle you to make a claim for compensation.
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