Randomized trial of the addition of gram-positive prophylaxis to standard antimicrobial prophylaxis for patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation

E. R. Broun, J. L. Wheat, P. H. Kneebone, K. Sundblad, R. A. Hromas, G. Tricot

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of the study reported here was to investigate the impact of prophylaxis against gram-positive infections in patients undergoing high- dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation in a randomized trial. Forty-three patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplant were enrolled in a nonblinded randomized trial to receive or not to receive prophylaxis for gram-positive infections with 106 U of penicillin intravenously (i.v.) every 6 h (q6h) (if penicillin allergic, 750 mg of vancomycin i.v. q12h) in addition to standard antimicrobial prophylaxis with 400 mg of norfloxacin orally three times a day, 200 mg of fluconazole orally once a day, and 5 mg of acyclovir per kg of body weight i.v. q12h. The patients were being treated for germ cell cancer (n = 15), breast cancer (n = 16), Hodgkin's disease (n = 3), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 4), acute myeloid leukemia (n = 1), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 1), and ovarian cancer (n = 3). The trial was stopped because of excess morbidity in the form of streptococcal septic shock in the group not receiving gram- positive prophylaxis. There were significantly fewer overall infections (10 versus 3; P = 0.016) and streptococcal infections (9 versus 1; P = 0.0078) in the group receiving gram-positive prophylaxis. There were no significant differences in the numbers of deaths, duration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, or incidence of neutropenic fever between the two groups. Prophylaxis for gram-positive infections with penicillin or vancomycin is effective in reducing the incidence of streptococcal infections in patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplant. However, this approach may carry a risk of fostering resistance among streptococci to penicillin or vancomycin.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)576-579
Number of pages4
JournalAntimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Volume38
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1994
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

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