Updated guidelines for managing fungal diseases in hematology patients

Abstract

Many prospective open or comparative studies have been published over the last few years on antifungals. As invasive fungal disease remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in high-risk hematology patients, the correct use of antifungal drugs, either as prophylaxis, empirical treatment in neutropenic patients or for therapy of overt disease, is of the utmost importance. Several international or national groups, including the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia, have elaborated practice guidelines to improve the correct usage of antifungals. This article summarizes these guidelines, which have very similar recommendations, and comments on their evidence base.

Keywords::

• antifungals
• guidelines
• hematopoietic cell transplantation
• invasive fungal disease
• leukemia

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Catherine Cordonnier has received travel grants and research support from Pfizer, Gilead Sciences and Merck Sharp & Dohme, and has been a consultant for Pfizer, Schering-Plough, Gilead Sciences, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Zeneus-Pharma and Astellas-Pharma. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.