Post-Chemotherapy Clinical Perianal Infection Features in Patients with Acute Leukemia

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine the incidence of post-chemotherapy perianal infection and its influencing factors in patients with acute leukemia.<br>Methods: A total of 243 patients with acute leukemia who underwent chemotherapy in the Three Gorges Hospital affiliated to Chongqing University, China, between January 2019 and December 2020 were selected as study subjects. In the present retrospective study, patients with post-chemotherapy perianal infection were monitored, and the perianal infection rate and clinical features of perianal infection were determined. Categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test, and the influencing factors of post-chemotherapy perianal infection in patients with acute leukemia were evaluated using logistic analysis.<br>Results: A total of 24 patients (9.88%) with acute leukemia suffered post-chemotherapy perianal infection. Age, basic perianal disease (hemorrhoids) history, constipation, diarrhea, duration of agranulocytosis, and length of hospital stay were compared among the patients. Perianal disease classification, perianal ultrasound, colonoscopy, postoperative pathology, and other clinical data were compared and discussed in relation to the occurrence and development of the disease. The results showed that there were no significant differences in perianal infection degrees between genders and among different types of leukemia (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in age, pain score, minimum white blood cell count, deficiency duration, and length of hospital stay among patients with different degrees of infection. The Spearman rank correlation test showed that the perianal infection degree was positively correlated with the highest hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level (p < 0.05). The difference was statistically significant; the higher the maximum hs-CRP/procalcitonin levels, the more serious the perianal infection.<br>Conclusions: Perianal infections are common in the procession of chemotherapy or myelosuppression. This is worthy of clinical recognition. Early recognition of perianal infection and the strengthening of infection risk factor control may be beneficial to improving the subjective feelings of patients with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy.