title: L-asparaginase and prednisolone pretreatment followed by rubidomycin and cytosine arabinoside for induction of remission in adult patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia.
abstract: 77 unselected adult patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML), including practically all AML patients from an area with 1.9 million inhabitants, were randomized for either (1) 5 days pretreatment with 1-asparaginase and prednisolone followed by  a combination of rubidomycin and cytosine arabinoside (ARAP), or (2) treatment with a combination of rubidomycin, cytosine arabinoside and prednisolone without 1-asparaginase pretreatment (RAP). Complete remission was induced with ARAP in 12 patients (31%) and with RAP in 13 patients (34%). Thus pretreatment with 1-asparaginase did not improve the therapeutic response. The overall remission frequency was significantly higher below the age of 60; 50% compared to 13% above this age. Side-effects such as liver dysfunction, nausea and vomiting were more common in patients pretreated with 1-asparaginase. Sterilization of the gut did not improve the remission frequency with either regime.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D011239:Prednisolone; D001215:Asparaginase; D003630:Daunorubicin