[Comparison of efficacy and adverse effects between arsenic trioxide and all-trans retinoic acid in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy and adverse effects between arsenic trioxide (ATO) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).


METHODS
The clinical data of 71 patients with newly diagnosed APL were retrospectively analyzed. Two groups were classified according to the induction regimens, namely ATO group (n = 41) and ATRA group (n = 30). The complete remission (CR) rate and the time to CR were compared between these two groups.


RESULTS
The CR rate was 97.5% in ATO group and 93.3% in ATRA group (P > 0.05). The median time to CR was 29 days (21-45 days) in ATO group, which was significantly shorter than 38.5 days (24-63 days) in ATRA group (P < 0.001). Retinoic acid syndrome occurred in 52.9% of patients treated with ATRA, which affected the further use of ATRA.


CONCLUSIONS
Both ATO and ATRA have high response rates for newly diagnosed patients with APL. Compared with ATRA, ATO induction therapy has shorter time to achieve CR and less adverse effects, and therefore may be the first-line therapy for APL.
Jiao
Li
L
Department of Hematology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Wang
Shu-Jie
SJ
Zhuang
Jun-Ling
JL
Zhao
Yong-Qiang
YQ
Zhou
Dao-Bin
DB
Xu
Ying
Y
Han
Bing
B
Zhang
Wei
W
Duan
Ming-Hui
MH
Zou
Nong
N
Zhu
Tie-Nan
TN
Shen
Ti
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D001152:Arsenicals; D010087:Oxides; D014212:Tretinoin; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide