[Treatment of polycythemia vera with hydroxyurea or pipobroman. Efficacy and toxicity analysed from a protocol of 96 patients under 65 years of age. Le Groupe d'Etude des Polyglobulies].
Between 1980 and 1991, 96 patients with documented polycythemia vera were treated by hydroxyurea or pipobroman, according to a protocol including randomization, and maintenance therapy. Complete remission was induced in all cases. Two cases treated with hydroxy-urea had a very severe granulothrombocytopenia during the initial phase. Maintenance was generally satisfactory on pipobroman, but the platelet count often remained high (400 to 900.10(9)/l) on low-dosage hydroxy-urea, with a risk of vascular events. Progressive resistance to these drugs was observed in 5 cases. Digestive and cutaneous troubles were more frequent on pipobroman maintenance, sometimes enough to legitimate a therapeutic change. It may be concluded that such a treatment is less easy to use and to follow than is currently accepted. In the present series (397/years/patients follow-up, median 5-3 years), only one leukemia and one cancer were observed, which however only demonstrates the absence of any carcinogenic risk at short- but not at long-term.
Najean
Y
Y
Service de Médecine nucléaire et Consultation d'Hématologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris.
D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010885:Pipobroman / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000139:chemically induced
D010885:Pipobroman; D006918:Hydroxyurea
Traitement des polyglobulies par hydroxy-urée ou pipobroman. Efficacité et toxicité analysées d'après un protocole portant sur 96 malades âgés de moins de 65 ans. Le Groupe d'Etude des Polyglobulies.