[Preliminary study on the safety and pharmacodynamic action of low dose L-asparaginase].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of low dose (1000 U/m(2)) L-asparaginase (L-Asp) in the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).


METHODS
Six patients were treated with low dose L-Asp after previously suffered severe side effects from standard dose L-Asp (5000 - 10,000 U/m(2)). Twenty-eight blood samples were obtained randomly from 5 of them. Plasma asparagine concentration was detected by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).


RESULTS
All the patients treated with low dose L-Asp showed no any toxic symptoms. The plasma asparagine levels in the patients were all above 5 micromol/L except case 4 (4.91 micromol/L) before receiving L-Asp, and were all decreased below 0.5 micromol/L five days after receiving low dose L-Asp, except case 3 (3.70 micromol/L), the results being like that of receiving standard dose L-Asp.


CONCLUSIONS
Low dose L-Asp has definite efficacy for childhood ALL, while avoids serious side effects from standard dose L-Asp.
Wu
Zi-liang
ZL
Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510120, China.
Chen
Fu-xiong
FX
Ye
Tie-zhen
TZ
Lai
Yong-hong
YH
Cui
Yan-qin
YQ
Zou
Ya-wei
YW
Lu
Cheng-yu
CY
Lan
Shu-ling
SL
Zhong
Guo-yu
GY
Guan
Jing-ming
JM
Wei
Feng-Gui
FG
Zhang
Hui
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001215:Asparaginase