Gs. Dick et al., RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF ONDANSETRON AND METOCLOPRAMIDE PLUS DEXAMETHASONE FOR CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED EMESIS, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 73(3), 1995, pp. 243-245
The serotonin (5HT(3)) antagonist ondansetron was compared in a random
ised study with metoclopramide and for the prevention of induced emesi
s. Thirty children aged 1-15 years with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
received 'intensification modules' according to the MRC United Kingdom
acute lymphoblastic leukaemia regimen UKALL XI. This contains the mod
erately emetogenic drugs daunorubicin, etoposide, and cytarabine. Fift
een children received an intravenous loading dose of ondansetron follo
wed by intravenous or oral doses 12 hourly for five days. Fifteen chil
dren received intravenous metoclopramide every six hours for three day
s with a loading dose of dexamethasone, repeated every eight hours for
three days intravenously or orally. Efficacy was assessed by a diary
card documenting the incidence of nausea, retching, or vomiting. In th
e 24 hour period after starting chemotherapy, ondansetron was more eff
ective, with a complete or major response rate of 93%, compared with 3
3% using metoclopramide/dexamethasone.