SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF CHRONIC SEVERE NEUTROPENIA WITH WEEKLY RECOMBINANT GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR

Daily treatment for symptomatic chronic neutropenia with recombinant g ranulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) filgrastim is costly an d sometimes causes neutrophillia. We report the use of weekly filgrast im in a 40-year-old man with life-long symptomatic neutropenia. Baseli ne neutrophil counts were <1 x 10(9)/l 60% of the time, and fell below 0.5 x 10(9)/l for 7 d periods every 22 d. Following 1 year of weekly filgrastim treatment, the absolute neutrophil count was maintained > 1 x 10(9)/l (averaging 2 x 10(9)/l) and the frequency and severity of s ymptoms were reduced by 85%. Therefore the benefits of filgrastim for the treatment of at least one form of chronic severe neutropenia can b e derived from weekly rather than daily doses.