neutropenic enterocolitis

Neutropenic enterocolitis (NEC) also known as typhlitis is an acute, life-threatening inflammation of the small and large bowel often seen in patients with leukaemia undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy or in other immunocompromised patients.

Context

 cytotoxic chemotherapy

• leukemia
• taxane-containing chemotherapy (18326897)

 immunocompromised patients
 neutropenia

• Fanconi anemia

Complications

 fistulas

• tracheo-oesophageal fistula (1349846)

 Crohn-like disease (1442691, 2066550)

Localization

 neutropenic enteritis
 neutropenic colitis

References

 Castleman’s disease and neutropenic enterocolitis presenting as Crohn’s disease. Burak KW, Bridges RJ, Blahey WB. Can J Gastroenterol. 1998 May-Jun;12(4):270-2. PMID: 9659565

 Rotterdam H, Tsang P. Gastrointestinal disease in the immunocompromised patient. Hum Pathol. 1994 Nov;25(11):1123-40. PMID: 7959657

 Fatal neutropenic enterocolitis associated with sulphasalazine therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Chakravarty K, Scott DG, McCann BG. Br J Rheumatol. 1992 May;31(5):351-3. PMID: 1349846

 A coincidence of disastrous accidents: Crohn’s disease, agranulocytosis, and Clostridium septicum infection. Thalhammer F, Hollenstein U, Janata K, Knapp S, Koller R, Locker GJ, Staudinger T, Sunder-Plassmann G, Frass M, Burgmann H. J Trauma. 1997 Sep;43(3):556-7. PMID: 9314329

 Crohn’s disease associated with cyclic neutropenia. Lamport RD, Katz S, Eskreis D. Am J Gastroenterol. 1992 Nov;87(11):1638-42. PMID: 1442691

 Crohn’s disease associated with autoimmune neutropenia. Stevens C, Peppercorn MA, Grand RJ. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1991 Jun;13(3):328-30. PMID: 2066550