Algorithm helps predicts pneumonia risk among patients with multiple myeloma
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A nurse-created algorithm helped determine which patients with multiple myeloma exhibited the highest risk for pneumonia, according to study results.
Cancer or its treatments can lead to low white blood cell counts.
This increases risk for pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, a fungal infection that develops in the lungs and is observed most commonly among immunocompromised individuals with cancer.
Carrie Bellerive, BSN, RN, BMTCN, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy nurse coordinator at Huntsman Cancer Institute at University of Utah, and colleagues created the algorithm after noticing unexpected infections. They determined it can be used to predict risk and identify patients who most needed interventions.
Healio spoke with Bellerive about the algorithm and the potential implications of this approach.
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Bellerive C, et al. Development of a nursing care pathway for monitoring pneumocystis pneumonia risk in relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Presented at: International Myeloma Society Annual Meeting; Aug. 25-27, 2022; Los Angeles.
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