ABSTRACT
Seventy-six consecutive patients receiving chemotherapy were evaluated for the antiemetic efficacy and side-effects of the combination of chlorpromazine (CPM) and methylprednisolone (MPN). All patients had previously received the same chemotherapy with metoclopramide in conventional dosage and experienced severe emesis. A significant antiemetic response was achieved in 70% of the patients, and in 28% of them the antiemetic protection was complete. The most common side effects were drowsiness, dry mouth and headache. The combination of CPM and MPN is effective, well tolerated and is recommended for outpatients receiving chemotherapy for cancer.
Subject(s)
Chlorpromazine/therapeutic use , Methylprednisolone/therapeutic use , Nausea/drug therapy , Vomiting/drug therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nausea/chemically induced , Prospective Studies , Vomiting/chemically inducedABSTRACT
Forty-six outpatients with breast cancer who had experienced severe emesis as a result of chemotherapy were evaluated for the antiemetic efficacy of high-dose metoclopramide (HD-MCP) and dexamethasone (DXM). Chemotherapy consisted of: cyclophosphamide 600, methotrexate 40 and 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 (CMF) given intravenously every 3 weeks. The dosage of antiemetic drugs was MCP 2 mg/kg and DXM 0.2 mg/kg given by slow intravenous drip 0.5 h before the administration of chemotherapy. 138 courses of combined chemotherapy--HD-MCP and DXM--were administered, with a mean of 3 courses and a range of 1-10 courses per patient. Complete protection--no nausea and no vomiting--was achieved in 17.7% of the courses. Partial protection--no vomiting with mild nausea or 1-3 episodes of vomiting--in 45.3% of the courses. The total antiemetic efficacy was 63%. The most common side effects were: drowsiness, dry mouth, restlessness and diarrhea. Sixteen patients (35%) refused to continue the antiemetic regimen because of the side effects. HD-MCP and DXM have antiemetic efficacy, but because of these side effects, further studies are required to determine the optimal dose of each of these drugs.
