[Efficacy of intravenous administration of itraconazole on fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with hematological diseases].

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the efficacy of intravenous administration of itraconazole on fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with hematological diseases according to stratified diagnoses.

METHODS:

Twenty-five patients with hematological diseases who were diagnosed according to the criteria of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), including 6 cases with confirmed diagnosis diagnosis, 12 cases with clinical diagnosis, and 7 cases with recommended diagnosis, underwent intravenous injection of itraconazole 125 approximately 200 mg bid for 2 days and then qd for at most 2 weeks and then oral administration of itraconazole 0.4 g/day for at most 2 weeks, and then the repeated regimen with a course of treatment of 1 approximately 3 months from 2002 to 2004. Eighteen cases were diagnosed with lung infection, 1 case with sinuses and trachea infection, and the infection sites were not documented for other 7 cases. The clinical results were analyzed.

RESULTS:

The effective rates of the patients with confirmed diagnosis, with clinical diagnosis, and with recommended diagnosis were 66.7% (4/6), 83.3% (10/12), and 14.3% (1/7) respectively. The effective rates of the patients with major imaging signs and those with secondary imaging signs were 90.0% (9/10) and 97.1% (4/7). There was a significant difference between the curative effects of the patients with confirmed diagnosis and those with recommended diagnosis (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSION:

Fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with hematological diseases can be successfully treated with intravenous administration of itraconazole.

• Authors: Jing-zhi Wang, Xiao-jun Huang, Kai-yan Liu, Dai-hong Liu, Huan Chen, Lan-ping Xu, Jin Lu, Yao-chen Zhang, Wei Han, Dao-pei Lu
• Journal: Zhonghua yi xue za zhi (Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi) Vol. 85 Issue 21 Pg. 1481-3 (Jun 08 2005) ISSN: 0376-2491 [Print] China
• PMID: 16061027 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Itraconazole

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Antifungal Agents (therapeutic use)
• Candidiasis (drug therapy, etiology)
• Child
• Female
• Hematologic Diseases (complications, immunology)
• Humans
• Immunocompromised Host
• Injections, Intravenous
• Itraconazole (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mycoses (drug therapy, etiology)
• Treatment Outcome