title: A 15-min premedication for 1-h paclitaxel infusion: optimizing patients' care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paclitaxel is a plant product highly active in numerous cancers, but anaphylactic-like hypersensitivity reactions with it have been reported in about 28% of patients receiving the drug. Thirty to sixty minutes are needed to give a standard premedication with steroids and diphenhydramine, leading to patients and nurses' discomfort and stealing time from other infusional treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine patients with advanced NSCLC never pre-treated with taxanes, received paclitaxel followed by gemcitabine on days 1, 8, 15 q4wks. Premedication consisted of prednisone 25 mg/os on day 0 and hydrocortisone plus clorfenamina maleato given intravenous on day 1 by a 15 min infusion immediately before paclitaxel administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 3/341 (0.8%) cycles. In all three cases we observed severe dyspnoea and bronchospasm, that required treatment discontinuation but one was probably due to gemcitabine and another had a protracting time after premedication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 15-min premedication infusion administered immediately before paclitaxel appeared to be highly effective in patients treated with 1h-infusion paclitaxel.
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Milani
authors: Tommaso
authors: T
authors: De Pas
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Noberasco
authors: Colette
authors: C
authors: McDonnell
authors: Livio
authors: L
authors: Libutti
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Limardi
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Zencovich
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Boselli
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Bianchi
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: de Braud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005791:Patient Care; D011292:Premedication; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel