Intravenous corticosteroids to reduce gemtuzumab ozogamicin infusion reactions.

Objective: To assess whether the addition of a brief course of intravenous corticosteroids reduces the incidence of infusion-related adverse events associated with gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) administration.

Methods: One hundred forty-three sequential patients received GO-based therapy for refractory myeloid leukemias: 110 patients received the standard regimen of acetaminophen 650 mg orally with diphenhydramine 50 mg intravenously and 33 patients received the same premedications with methylprednisolone sodium succinate 50 mg intravenous piggyback (IVPB) prior to infusion and repeated 1 hour into the infusion.

Results: Of 110 patients who received GO with standard premedications alone, 32 (29%) had grade 2 or above infusion-related adverse events.