title: Acute left ventricular failure following melphalan and fludarabine conditioning.
abstract: Cardiotoxicity has rarely been reported as a complication of melphalan or fludarabine administration as single agents. Recently, melphalan and fludarabine have been used in combination as non-myeloablative conditioning chemotherapy prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We have observed the development of severe left ventricular failure in three of 21 patients treated with this combination. Cardiotoxicity in this context has not previously been reported and has implications for the assessment, monitoring and treatment of patients undergoing pre-transplant conditioning with melphalan and fludarabine.
authors.affiliation: Bone Marrow Transplant Service, Department of Clinical Haematology and Medical Oncology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szer
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Grigg
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000209:etiology; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine; D008558:Melphalan