title: Ondansetron and tropisetron with dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting induced by non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy.
abstract: Forty-seven patients receiving non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy were entered in a prospective study in which the efficacy of ondansetron plus dexamethasone and tropisetron plus dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting was evaluated. Thirty-nine patients were evaluable for cross-over analysis. During the 24 hours following the start of chemotherapy, 97% of patients on ondansetron plus dexamethasone reported total control of vomiting compared with 82% of those on tropisetron plus dexamethasone (p = 0.026). Thus, both 5-HT3- receptor antagonists combined with dexamethasone were highly effective in controlling acute vomiting induced by non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy. The observed difference between the treatments may be caused by different dose schedules of ondansetron and tropisetron. A double-blind design with equal number of placebo-controlled administrations is needed to ascertain whether there is a significant pharmacological difference between ondansetron and tropisetron.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Jantunen
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Kataja
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077526:Tropisetron; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017294:Ondansetron; D000077526:Tropisetron; D003907:Dexamethasone