Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous itraconazole for the treatment of invasive fungal infection (IFI) in patients with hematological disease or undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
Methods: Six hundred and sixty-six patients with above mentioned conditions and diagnosed as IFI from January, 2007 to July, 2007 were enrolled. Intravenous itraconazole was administered at a dose of 200 mg every 12 hours for 2 days and followed by 200 mg every 24 hours. Patients were then switched to oral itraconazole according to the clinical situation. Responses were determined on the basis of clinical and microbiological criteria.
Results: The probability of defervescence was 69.8% and the total response rates among related to itraconazole were the proven, probable and possible IFI patients were 73.7%, 68.1% and 68.2% (P = 0.380). Adverse effects were found in 58 patients (8.7%), which were mainly mild to medium reversible dysfunction of liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Conclusion: Itraconazole is an effective and safe antifungal agent for patients with hematological disease or undergoing HSCT and is suitable for empirical antifungal therapy.