title: [Effectiveness and safety of 5-azacitidine in three patients with myelodysplastic syndromes].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness and safety of using 5-azacitidine to treat myelodysplastic syndromes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of medical records of patients who received 5-azacitidine 75mg/m(2) subcutaneously for during 7 days every 28 days in twelve cycles as compassionate use. We evaluated the objective response, clinical improvement and time to disease progression. We recorded adverse reactions described in the medical history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients were candidates for treatment with 5-azacitidine. Three cases were evaluated over the study period. Most remained in partial response or better after the study, and no longer needed transfusions. In one patient, the treatment appeared to delay progression to leukaemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  5-Azacitidine might be considered an effective and relatively safe drug, and may have contributed to controlling peripheral cytopenias, improving the quality of life and delaying progression to leukaemia. Additional studies with more patients are needed to support these results.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Farmacia, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España. cruces.garzas.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Garzás-Martín de Almagro
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gago Sánchez
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cuevas Asencio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyes Malia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000754:Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D000963:Antimetabolites / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D057176:Compassionate Use Trials; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D018450:Disease Progression; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D001374:Azacitidine; D000069585:Filgrastim