Comparison of antiemetic efficacy of granisetron and ondansetron in Oriental patients: a randomized crossover study.
A double-blind randomized crossover trial was performed to compare the antiemetic efficacy of two 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, granisetron and ondansetron, in Chinese patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil) for breast cancer. Twenty patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy with either granisetron on day 1 and ondansetron on day 8 of the first cycle followed by the reverse order in the second cycle, or vice versa. The number of vomiting episodes and the severity of nausea in the first 24 h (acute vomiting/nausea) and the following 7 days (delayed vomiting/nausea) were studied. Acute vomiting was completely prevented in 29 (72.5%) cycles with granisetron and 27 (67.5%) cycles with ondansetron, and treatment failure (>5 vomiting episodes) occurred in two (5%) cycles with each agent (P = NS). Acute nausea was completely controlled in 15 (37.5%) cycles with granisetron and 14 (35%) cycles with ondansetron, whereas severe acute nausea occurred in four (10%) cycles with each agent (P = NS). However, complete response for delayed vomiting was observed in only 21 (52.5%) cycles with granisetron and 22 (55%) cycles with ondansetron (P = NS), and delayed nausea was completely controlled in only 11 (27.5%) and ten (25%) cycles respectively (P = NS). In conclusion, both granisetron and ondansetron are effective in controlling acute nausea and vomiting in Chinese patients, with equivalent antiemetic efficacy. Control of delayed nausea and vomiting is less satisfactory.
Poon
R T
RT
Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
Chow
L W
LW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017829:Granisetron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000517:prevention & control; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control
D000932:Antiemetics; D017829:Granisetron; D017294:Ondansetron