title: Efficacy and safety of caspofungin for the empiric management of fever in neutropenic children.
abstract: This retrospective review evaluates the response to caspofungin when given to children with febrile neutropenia and describes adverse effects attributable to caspofungin, including risk of hepatotoxicity during concomitant therapy with cyclosporine. Sixty-seven courses of caspofungin administered to 56 patients (1-17 years) were surveyed; 53 (79%) courses resulted in an overall favorable response. Ten children (15% of courses) experienced an adverse drug-related event that was probably or possibly attributable to caspofungin. Rash and hypokalemia were the most commonly identified adverse effects. One of 19 children receiving caspofungin and cyclosporine concurrently developed hepatotoxicity possibly related to caspofungin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ONT, Canada. alicia.koo@sickkids.ca
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Upton
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drynan-Arsenault
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.forename: L Lee
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Dupuis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077336:Caspofungin; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D055666:Lipopeptides; D008297:Male; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications; D009864:Ontario
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D054714:Echinocandins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D000077336:Caspofungin