Comparison of the efficacy and safety of combinations of metopimazine or ondansetron with methylprednisolone in the prevention of delayed emesis in patients receiving chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
Delayed emesis following chemotherapy in cancer patients remains an important challenge for treatment and contributes to poor quality of life and treatment compliance.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy and tolerability of associations of metopimazine and ondansetron with methylprednisolone for the prevention of delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and emesis.


METHODS
A randomised, open-label, observational, cross-over design was used to compare two treatment strategies following two consecutive sessions of chemotherapy separated by at least 1 week. Patients were randomised to treatment with sublingual metopimazine (15 mg tid) or ondansetron lyophilisate (8 mg bid) for 5 days. All patients received oral methylprednisolone (48 mg). Patients reported episodes of nausea and emesis in a diary, and completed the Functional Living Index Emesis quality of life questionnaire. Adverse events were also evaluated.


RESULTS
Ninety-nine patients were included in the study, 79.5% of whom were women, with a mean age of 52.7 years. Breast cancer was the most common individual cancer and most patients were receiving combinations of cytotoxic drugs. Treatment was successful at preventing delayed emesis in 73.6% of patients during treatment with the metopimazine-methylprednisolone association and 57.5% during the ondansetron-methylprednisolone association. Analysis of discordant pairs revealed a significant benefit in favour of the methopimazine-methylprednisolone association (p = 0.006). No significant difference was observed between treatments for the overall quality of life score. The incidence of gastrointestinal disorders, particularly constipation, was significantly higher during ondansetron-methylprednisolone treatment (p = 0.0112).


CONCLUSIONS
Methopimazine is an effective and well-tolerated alternative to setrons for the treatment of delayed nausea and emesis in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Bloch
J
J
Hôpital de la Pitié Salpétrière, Paris, France. joel.bloch@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
Rixe
O
O
Meric
J B
JB
Delgado
A
A
Khayat
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007540:Isonipecotic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007540:Isonipecotic Acids; C005260:metopimazine; D017294:Ondansetron; D008775:Methylprednisolone