26 patients with poor risk acute myelogenous leukemia (elderly, in relapse or resistant) were treated with a combination of oral idarubicin (30 mg/m2/d for 3 days) and low dose subcutaneous cytarabine (10 mg/m2 twice a day for 10 days). Of 26 patients, 14 achieved complete remission, 2 partial remission, and 5 died in aplasia (3 without evidence of response, 2 inevaluable); 5 further patients were non-responders. All responses but two occurred among patients treated for AML at presentation or in relapse. Side effects consisted mainly of severe hematologic and moderate gastrointestinal toxicities. The main interest of this regimen is adaptability to outpatient conditions and rapid cytoreduction in patients with hyperleukocytic presentation.