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Background: Fludarabine, a purine analogue with activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, is usually well tolerated. Although serious infections after fludarabine therapy have been described, a systematic analysis of the risk factors for such infections in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is lacking.Objective: To determine the risk factors for major infection in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with fludarabine.Design: Retrospective review of medical records.Setting: Cancer center.Patients: 402 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia not previously treated or treated with chlorambucil (with or without prednisone) who received fludarabine (30 mg/m2 of body surface area per day for 5 days) with or without prednisone at 4-week intervals.Results: Infections occurred more often in previously treated (144 of 248 [58%]) than in previously untreated (53 of 154 [34%]) patients (P < 0.001). Listeriosis or pneumocystosis occurred in 12 of 170 (7%) previously treated patients receiving fludarabine plus prednisone, 0 of 78 previously treated patients receiving fludarabine alone, and 2 of 154 (1%) previously untreated patients receiving fludarabine plus prednisone (P = 0.003). Univariate analysis identified previous chemotherapy, advanced disease, failure to respond to fludarabine, elevated serum beta2-microglobulin level (P < 0.001), low serum albumin level (P = 0.024), elevated serum creatinine concentration (P = 0.008), and low granulocyte count (P = 0.003) as risk factors for infection. Multivariate analysis identified Rai stage III or IV (odds ratio, 1.98 [95% CI, 1.17 to 3.94]), previous treatment (odds ratio, 2.24 [CI, 1.43 to 3.51]), and elevated serum creatinine concentration (odds ratio, 1.98 [CI, 1.09 to 3.67]) as statistically significant independent risk factors for major infection. A baseline granulocyte count of more than 1000 cells/microL was protective (odds ratio, 0.54 [CI, 0.29 to 0.99]). Five (26%) of 19 patients with a CD4 count less than 50 cells/mL developed cutaneous zoster compared with 9 (6%) of 139 patients with a CD4 count greater than 50 cells/mL (P = 0.01).Conclusions: Fludarabine used in previously treated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia may be associated with infections involving T-cell dysfunction, such as listeriosis, pneumocystosis, mycobacterial infections, and opportunistic fungal and viral infections. Prophylaxis or presumptive therapy should be initiated in the appropriate setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the mucocutaneous and soft tissue infections caused by Xanthomonas maltophilia in patients with cancer.Design: A retrospective 15-month clinical study.Setting: Academic, referral-based cancer center.Patients: Of 237 patients with X. maltophilia isolated from all sites during the 15-month study period, 114 patients were judged to have true X. maltophilia infections. Only patients with mucocutaneous and soft tissue infections were included in the study.Results: 17 (15%) of the 114 patients with X. maltophilia infection had mucocutaneous and soft tissue infections: Six patients had metastatic cellulitis, 5 had primary cellulitis usually associated with catheter use, and 6 had infected mucocutaneous ulcers. The metastatic cellulitis consisted of previously undescribed multiple, hard, tender nodules with surrounding and distant cellulitis (5 patients) or ecthyma gangrenosum (1 patient). Four of these patients died of the infection. Metastatic cellulitis and mucocutaneous infections occurred in hospitalized, neutropenic patients who received broad-spectrum antibiotics (beta-lactams, quinolones), often with in vitro activity against the infecting organisms. Response usually correlated with recovery from myelosuppression and administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with or without ticarcillin-clavulanate. Catheter removal contributed to response in the treatment of primary cellulitis.Conclusions: Mucocutaneous and soft tissue infections caused by X. maltophilia are not uncommon, and X. maltophilia can cause metastatic nodular skin lesions that mimic disseminated fungal infections. It also causes serious morbidity and high mortality in patients with metastatic skin nodules and can cause superinfections in patients receiving broad-spectrum beta-lactam or quinolone antibiotics to which the organisms are susceptible when the infections develop. Catheter removal contributes to a favorable outcome in patients with catheter-associated cellulitis without bacteremia. Xanthomonas maltophilia infection should be added to the differential diagnosis of mucocutaneous or soft tissue infection in patients with cancer. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with or without ticarcillin-clavulanate is the current treatment of choice for culture-proven infections, but early empiric therapy may improve outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]