Hubungan Faktor Risiko terhadap Terjadinya Neutropenia pada Anak yang Menjalani Kemoterapi di Rumah Sakit Adam Malik

Abstract

Background: Neutropenia is one of the most serious adverse effects of chemotherapy in pediatric patients, as it increases the risk of infection and treatment-related complications. Several factors, including age, sex, type of cancer, chemotherapy regimen, treatment cycle, and nutritional status, are thought to contribute to neutropenia; however, clinical evidence remains inconsistent. Objective: To determine the association between risk factors (age, sex, type of cancer, type of chemotherapeutic agents, number of chemotherapy cycles, and nutritional status) and the occurrence of neutropenia in children undergoing chemotherapy at H. Adam Malik General Hospital Medan. Methods: This analytical study used a cross-sectional design involving 80 pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed using the Chi-Square test to evaluate the relationship between independent variables and neutropenia. Results: A total of 75% of respondents experienced neutropenia (mild–severe), with the highest proportion in moderate neutropenia (31.3%), followed by severe neutropenia (30%). Statistical analysis demonstrated no significant association between age (p = 0.111), sex (p = 0.476), type of cancer (p = 0.773), chemotherapeutic agents (p = 0.287), number of chemotherapy cycles (p = 0.140), and nutritional status (p = 0.263) with neutropenia. All patients had no prior medical history. Conclusion: No risk factors were found to be significantly associated with neutropenia among children undergoing chemotherapy. Nevertheless, descriptive findings indicate that clinical conditions, chemotherapy regimens, and nutritional status should be considered in clinical practice to prevent neutropenia-related complications. Keywords: neutropenia, chemotherapy, pediatric, risk factors, H. Adam Malik General Hospital