R. Hurtado et al., DRUG-INDUCED AGRANULOCYTOSIS TREATED WITH GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR, Revista de Investigacion Clinica, 46(1), 1994, pp. 59-61
Drug induced agranulocytosis (DIA) is a potentially lethal disorder ch
aracterized by selective neutropenia. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-st
imulating factor (GM-CSF) has been utilized for its treatment. We repo
rt four cases of DIA treated with GM-CSF at the dose of 5 ug/kg/day. T
he patients presented infectious diseases at diagnosis. Median days to
obtain 1x10(9)/L neutrophils and a normal neutrophil count (NNC), wer
e 7(5-9) and 7.5 (6-10) days, respectively. The infectious disease at
diagnosis improved and all patients are alive at the moment of this re
port. No other adverse effects than thrombocytosis (two cases) and thr
ombocytopenia (one cases) were observed. We consider that GM-CSF could
be a safe and effective alternative in the treatment of DIA.