Method and apparatus for monitoring development of medication induced febrile neutropenia

A method for out-patient home monitoring and detection of chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia in a patient, the method comprising:

• sensing photoplethysmographic signals of the patient including vascular resistance, heart rate and blood oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter;
• sensing movement of the patient and correcting for motion and/or gravitational interferences of the patient's photoplethysmographic signals resulting from said sensed movement;
• sensing the patient's body temperature with a temperature sensor;
• sensing the patient's weight with a scale;
• sensing blood borne parameters in the patient's blood, including neutrophil count, with one or more point-of-care blood borne parameter sensors;
• transmitting the sensed photoplethysmographic signals and blood borne parameters to a febrile neutropenia monitoring application;
• determining, based on changes in the sensed photoplethysmographic signals and blood born parameters, if said signals are approaching or out of compliance with pre-determined criteria including a single body temperature reading of >38.3° C. or a temperature of >38° C. sustained for >1 hour with an absolute neutrophil count of <1000 cells/microL, indicative of the presence or deterioration of febrile neutropenia;
• and
• providing an alarm upon a determination of the presence of or deterioration of febrile neutropenia in a patient.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions for home monitoring and detection of chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia in a patient enabled at least in part on a processor of a computerized device, the instructions, which when executed by the processor, performing the steps of:

• receiving photoplethysmographic signals of the patient including vascular resistance, heart rate and blood oxygen saturation from a pulse oximeter;
• receiving correction signals for the photoplethysmographic signals based on sensed movement of the patient;
• receiving patient body temperature signals from a temperature sensor;
• receiving patient body weight signals from a scale;
• receiving blood borne parameters including neutrophil count in the patient's blood from one or more point-of-care blood borne parameter sensors;
• determining, if said signals are approaching or out of compliance with pre-determined conditions including a single body temperature reading of >38.3° C. or a temperature of >38° C. sustained for >1 hour with an absolute neutrophil count of <1000 cells/microL, indicative of the presence or deterioration of febrile neutropenia based on changes in the signals received from the photoplethysmographic sensor and the one or more blood borne parameter sensors;
• and
• providing an alarm to a healthcare provider upon a determination of the presence or deterioration of febrile neutropenia in a patient.