PENTOXIFYLLINE IS NOT USEFUL IN THE PREVE NTION OF TOXICITY ASSOCIATED TO BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the possible beneficial effect of pentoxifylli ne (PTX) on both the decrease of toxicity related to bone marrow trans plantation (BMT) and the acceleration of the hematopoietic graft. METH ODS: Twenty consecutive patients treated with BMT received pentoxifyll ine (400 mg/6 hours, orally) up to day +50 to prevent toxicity derived from BMT. A previous group of 29 consecutive patients transplanted in the same center were used as controls. The different clinical toxicit ies (mucositis, kidney failure, hepatic venocclusive disease, graft ve rsus host disease, number of days with fever, day of hospital discharg e and survival at day +50), the time elapsed until the hematopoietic g raft and the levels of tumoral necrosis factor alpha were evaluated. R ESULTS: No significant differences were observed in any of the paramet ers studied in the two groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with pentoxifylline does not prevent the toxicity derived from BMT or acce lerate the hematopoietic grafting.