title: Granisetron, a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, for the prevention of radiation induced emesis during total body irradiation.
abstract: The antiemetic efficacy of granisetron was tested in an open trial in patients undergoing highly emetogenic treatment by single fraction total body irradiation. Thirty-two consecutive patients were entered. Results were both patient- and observer-rated. Following a single intravenous dose of granisetron 18 patients (56.3%) experienced total protection and a further 13 (40.6%) had major antiemetic protection with four of these patients experiencing nausea only. One patient experienced an anaphylactic reaction on infusion of monoclonal antibody-treated donor marrow 5 h after administration of the trial drug and vomited on multiple occasions. The reaction was associated with hypotension. A further patient experienced transient hypotension secondary to septicaemia 8 h after receiving granisetron. Three patients required a second dose. Headache was the most frequent side-effect occurring in three patients, but in to of these patients the test drug was not thought to be implicated. In conclusion granisetron is a highly effective agent in controlling radiation induced emesis with a favourable toxicity profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Prentice
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pothecary
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coumar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Upward
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murdoch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D017829:Granisetron; D006801:Humans; D007191:Indazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D017829:Granisetron; D007191:Indazoles; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists