COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT SCHEDULES OF ONDANSETRON (GR 38032F) ADMINISTRATION DURING CISPLATIN-BASED CHEMOTHERAPY - A RANDOMIZED TRIAL

The purpose of our study was to evaluate different schedules of ondans etron administration in cisplatin-induced emesis. Ah patients had prev iously received 2 cycles of CDDP-based chemotherapy in a dose of 100 m g/m(2). Ondansetron was given by two schedules. Group A (45 patients) received a dose of 1 ampoule of 8 mg in 100 ml normal saline in a 10-m in intravenous infusion before the infusion of CDDP; this was continue d by 1 tablet of 8 mg in the afternoon and 1 before sleeping on the fi rst day. For the next 3 days, the patients received 3 tablets of 8 mg daily. In group B (45 patients) the same doses were used at the same t ime and by the same route as in group A, except on the first day when all the dosages were intravenous. Nausea persisted for a longer time ( A = 177 +/- 271 min, B = 78 +/- 83 min, p < 0.022), and it was intense r in group A (grade O, p < 0.036, grade 1, p < 0.050) in comparison wi th group B. More patients of group B achieved complete (p < 0.015) and minor (p < 0.050) control of emesis, on the other hand group A presen ted an increased number with major (p < 0.015) and failure (p < 0.069) of control of emesis. There was no difference in nausea and vomiting for the next 3 days nor any difference in secondary side effects. We c onclude that the intravenous administration schedule has shown superio r antiemetic efficacy in patients who received cisplatin during the fi rst 24 h.