title: Toxicity in standard melphalan-prednisone therapy among myeloma patients with renal failure--a retrospective analysis and recommendations for dose adjustment.
abstract: Haematological and infectious toxicity was correlated to renal function in 272 newly diagnosed myeloma patients given standard dose melphalan-prednisone (MP) as initial treatment without dose adjustment for renal impairment. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated by calculated creatinine clearance. Haematological toxicity was found to be significantly related to renal dysfunction. Haematological toxicity World Health Organization (WHO) grades 3-4 after the first MP course was seen in 18%, 28% and 36% of patients with a creatinine clearance of >50, 30-50 and <30 ml/min respectively. WHO grades 3-4 infections occurred in 6% and were not significantly related to renal function. We conclude that MP therapy can be used for initial therapy in myeloma patients with renal impairment but suggest that reduction of the melphalan dose should be considered in patients with a GFR of <30 ml/min. As only 2% of our patients had a clearance of < or =10 ml/min no conclusions can be drawn for this subgroup.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Uppsala University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. kristina.carlson@akademiska.se
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hjorth
authors.forename: Lene Meldgaard
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Knudsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D008558:Melphalan; D011241:Prednisone