Once-daily, oral levofloxacin monotherapy for low-risk neutropenic fever in cancer patients: a pilot study in China

Anticancer Drugs. 2015 Mar;26(3):359-62. doi: 10.1097/CAD.0000000000000187.

Abstract

This pilot study assesses the safety and efficacy of once-daily, oral levofloxacin monotherapy in Chinese patients with low-risk febrile neutropenia. In this prospective, single-arm, open-label, multicenter clinical trial, 46 adult Chinese patients with solid tumors and low-risk febrile neutropenia were included. Patients received oral levofloxacin monotherapy (500 mg orally/day) until day 12, followed by 7 days of follow-up (day 19). Body temperature was measured three times per day. On days 2, 3, 5-7, 9, 12, and 19, disease symptoms and vital signs were recorded, adverse drug reactions were assessed, and blood samples were collected to determine the whole-blood cell count and the absolute neutrophil count. Blood cultures and chest radiographs were performed simultaneously until negative results were found. Oral levofloxacin was effective and well tolerated in 97.6% of patients irrespective of the cancer type and cause of fever. Body temperature began to decline in 24.4, 68.3, and 90.2% of patients, respectively, at 12, 24, and 48 h after initiating levofloxacin therapy. On days 5 and 7, 95.1 and 97.6% of the patients had complete defervescence, respectively. The median time for absolute neutrophil count recovery to at least 1500/mm after initiation of treatment was 3 days. Only one patient reported mild diarrhea. This pilot study showed that oral levofloxacin quickly and effectively reduced fever, initiated neutrophil recovery, and was well tolerated in Chinese low-risk febrile neutropenic patients with solid tumors. Further study is needed to compare patient data of levofloxacin with the standard amoxicillin/ciprofloxacin protocol in this population for both safety and efficacy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Asian People
  • Blood Cell Count
  • Febrile Neutropenia / drug therapy*
  • Febrile Neutropenia / etiology
  • Humans
  • Levofloxacin / administration & dosage*
  • Levofloxacin / therapeutic use
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Levofloxacin