FLUCONAZOLE IN CHILDREN - 1ST EXPERIENCE WITH PROPHYLAXIS IN CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED NEUTROPENIA IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH CANCER

In an open multicenter, prospective study fluconazole (FLU) was admini stered to prevent fungal infection in 22 neutropenic, 2- to 14-year-ol d children. Of 4 failures, one was infected with an Aspergillus spp., one with Candida krusei and one with Candida (Torulopsis) glabrata. On e failure was of bacterial origin. Those patients with mycoses who fai led on fluconazole were successfully treated with other antifungals. I n 4 patients transient elevation of liver enzymes was observed. This i s the first reported trial using FLU in prophylaxis against fungal inf ection in neutropenic pediatric patients, where 18/24 children did not present any evidence of mycotic infection using FLU in daily doses of 1-4 mg/kg.