A Randomized Pilot Study Comparing Infection Rates in Myeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Patients Receiving a Non-Neutropenic Diet or a Neutropenic Diet

In the proposed pilot study, a randomized design will be used to address the primary and secondary aims. Subjects will be randomized to either the experimental group receiving a non-neutropenic diet without restriction, or to the control group receiving the standard neutropenic diet. While randomization will occur prior to, or on the day of their inpatient admission and the subjects will begin study procedures upon admission to the Adult Stem Cell Transplant Inpatient Unit at Duke University Medical Center. The diet will continue until 1) the subject is no longer neutropenic, and/or 2) discharged from the inpatient unit to continue their care in the Adult Stem Cell Transplant Outpatient Clinic. By limiting the study to the time of care on the inpatient unit, we will minimize the opportunity for deviation from the assigned diet. Absence of neutropenia will be defined as an absolute neutrophil count of greater than 500/uL (manual differential) and a total white blood cell count of 1000/uL for three consecutive days. All subjects enrolled will follow the standard prophylactic antibiotic regimen. Other supportive care will also be consistent in the two groups.