[Comparative study on the value of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in acute leukemia patients...

A comparative study of infectious morbidity and mortality in neutropenic patients with acute leukemia receiving chemotherapy was undertaken to test the effects of a suppression of endogenous and ambient microorganisms. Patients were allocated to receive [1] oral antibiotics (neomycin, colistin, and nystatin) in conventional ward isolation; [2] no antimicrobial suppression but conventional ward isolation; [3] strict isolation, filtered air, sterilized food and oral antibiotics. Significantly fewer infections with Gram-negative bacilli were seen in patients with strict isolation plus endogenous microbial suppression versus patients receiving selective gut decontamination versus patients without nonabsorbable antibiotics in simple reverse isolation. The death rate from infection was significantly reduced in patients who received antibiotics for gut flora suppression in conventional ward isolation compared with the corresponding control group. In addition, a significant improvement of leukemic remission rate was seen in this group. The protocol for decontamination was well tolerated.