ONDANSETRON IN THE TREATMENT OF NAUSEA AND VOMITING INDUCED BY CHEMOTHERAPY

One-hundred and forty-five chemotherapy patients receiving cisplatin- and non-cisplatin-containing regimens participated in an open evaluati on of ondansetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in the prophylaxis of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting. The study had two groups of pat ients, one receiving cisplatin-containing regimens (Group A) and the o ther, non-cisplatin-containing regimens (Group B). There were 51 patie nts recruited to Group A. Ondansetron was given to these patients at a dose of 8 mg intravenously 15 min before chemotherapy, followed by an intravenous infusion for 24 h (1 mg/h), or 8 mg intravenously 4 and 8 h after the start of cisplatin, followed by 8 mg orally three times/d ay for 5 days. Ninety-four patients were recruited to Group B: these p atients received ondansetron at a dose of 8 mg intravenously immediate ly before chemotherapy or 8 mg orally 1-2 h prior to it, and 8 mg oral ly three times/day for 3-5 days. For acute emesis (first 24 h), comple te control was achieved in 79.5% of Group A patients and in 78.1% of G roup B. For delayed emesis (days 2-5), 79.7% of Group A patients and 8 4.6% of Group B were completely protected during the entire study peri od. Nausea was also well controlled with ondansetron; 83.2% (Group A) and 86.5% (Group B) reported only mild nausea or no nausea at all. Ond ansetron was effective in the control of both cisplatin- and non-cispl atin-induced emesis and well tolerated without any serious drug-relate d adverse events.