title: Accidental overdose of mitoxantrone in three patients.
abstract: Mitoxantrone is a new effective antineoplastic agent with activity against a wide range of tumors. Compared with the anthracycline drugs doxo- and daunorubicin, it exhibits a clearly lower toxicity and, most importantly, a reduced cardiotoxicity. The analysis of the side-effects recorded after accidental overdosage of the drug gives additional insight into its tolerability. Here we describe our observations in three patients who inadvertently received 100 mg m-2 (two pts) and 183 mg m-2 (one pt) as single slow bolus injections. The main side-effects were moderate nausea and vomiting, shaking chills, and profound but reversible neutro- and thrombocytopenia. There was no immediate cardiac toxicity. One patient with extensive previous daunomycin exposure developed congestive heart failure after 4 months. Two patients were not evaluable for late cardiac complications because of early death due to tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum Rudolf Virchow, Freie Universität Berlin, F.R.G.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Siegert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hiddemann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koppensteiner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Büchner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Essink
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huhn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marosi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D062787:Drug Overdose; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D008942:Mitoxantrone