Table 6.1Chest X-ray and additional peripheral blood cultures in the emergency assessment of patients with suspected neutropenic sepsis

TestN studies
(episodes)		Prevalence (range)Sensitivity
(range)		Specificity
(range)		LR +
(range)		LR –
(range)		References
Bacterial pneumonia
Chest X-ray2 (349)2% to 5%100%68% to 92%3.15 to 12.42Not calculableOude Nihuis 2003, Renoult 2004
Severe sepsis or its complications
Chest X-ray5 (1684)15% to 60%23% to 72%17% to 98%0.87 to 20.260.62 to 1.66Badiei 2011, Chayakulkeeree 2003, Klastersky 2000, Moon 2009, Wilbur 2000
DPT between central & peripheral blood cultures1 (58)44%95%69%3.120.07 Blot 1998

Abbreviations:;DPT, differential time to positivity ; LR+, likelihood ratio for a positive test result; LR-, likelihood ratio for a negative test result.

From: Identification and Assessment: guideline chapter four

Cover of Neutropenic Sepsis: Prevention and Management of Neutropenic Sepsis in Cancer Patients
Neutropenic Sepsis: Prevention and Management of Neutropenic Sepsis in Cancer Patients.
NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 151.
National Collaborating Centre for Cancer (UK).
Copyright © National Collaborating Centre for Cancer, 2012.

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.