Allopurinol and Cytotoxic Drugs
Interaction in Relation to Bone Marrow Depression
- Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program
Abstract
In 160 patients with neoplastic diseases (other than leukemia) that were treated with cytotoxic drugs, bone marrow depression (BMD) was more common in 65 patients who also received allopurinol than in 95 who did not (P<.005). In 58 patients who received cyclophosphamide, the frequencies of BMD in allopurinol recipients and nonrecipients were 57.7% and 18.8%, respectively. A similar but less pronounced trend occurring with other cytotoxic drugs involved too few patients with any one drug to allow firm conclusions. Interaction between allopurinol and cytotoxic drugs is a possible explanation of these findings.
Footnotes
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For a complete list of participants in the program, see page 1040.
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Reprint requests to Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, 400 Totten Pond Rd, Waltham, MA 02154.
