Most neutropenic events occur during the first cancer chemotherapy cycle.
A severe neutropenic event was more likely in the first cycle than in cycles 2–4 combined. Independent
risk factors for severe neutropenia were use of an anthracycline- or taxane-containing regimen and low
body surface area.
Some patients were given prophylactic growth factors and/or antibiotics; this may have influenced the
incidence of severe neutropenia and severe neutropenic events.