Publications by authors named "Deborah A Hepler"
Background: Empiric antifungal therapy is considered the standard of care for high-risk neutropenic patients with persistent fever. The impact of a preemptive, diagnostic-driven approach based on galactomannan screening and chest computed tomography scan on demand on survival and on the risk of invasive fungal disease (IFD) during the first weeks of high-risk neutropenia is unknown.
Methods: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients were randomly assigned to receive caspofungin empirically (arm A) or preemptively (arm B), while receiving fluconazole 400 mg daily prophylactically.
Article Synopsis
- A multicenter study evaluated the safety and pharmacokinetics of intravenous posaconazole for antifungal prophylaxis in neutropenic patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), or after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
- A total of 237 patients received a specific dosing regimen of posaconazole, and their drug levels were monitored throughout the treatment.
- Results showed that the drug was well tolerated with low side effects, and there were only a few cases of invasive fungal disease reported, indicating effective prophylaxis in high-risk patients.