Comparative Effect of 100 Versus 250 μ/m²/day of G-CSF in Pediatric Patients with Neutropenia Induced by Chemotherapy

Abstract

In pediatric patients with various malignancies, the effect of two different doses of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) on chemotherapy-induced neutropenia was examined. Each patient was treated with two courses of the same chemotherapeutic regimen. Following each course, either 100 μg/m² or 250 μg/m² of rhG-CSF was infused daily starting 48 hours after the cessation of chemotherapy and continuing for 14 consecutive days. A total of 29 patients (34 cycles of therapy) were eligible for the study. Both the duration of neutropenia (<0.5 × 109⁹/l) and median days from the nadir of neutrophils to recovery, >0.5 × 10⁹/l, were significantly shorter when 250 μg/m² was given. Moreover, the nadir counts of neutrophils and the duration of fever with neutropenia were, although not significant, in favor of 250 μg/m² administration. No differences were observed in the frequency and severity of side effects.

Key Words:

• chemotherapy
• childhood malignancy
• granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
• neutropenia