title: Posaconazole treatment in Korea: single-center experience over 5 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Posaconazole is a second-generation triazole with a broad spectrum. However, there is a lack of data to support a significant role for posaconazole in the treatment of invasive fungal infection (IFI), especially in Korea. Until recently, posaconazole was available only through the Korean Orphan Drug Center. This study was designed to review the use of posaconazole at a single-center in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from patients who received posaconazole treatment at Catholic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Center were retrospectively reviewed between January 2007 and September 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 11 cases (3 males and 8 females, median age 52 years) received posaconazole. Five patients were given the drug for mucormycosis, two for invasive aspergillosis, and four for unspecified IFI for which galactomannan (GM) assays were negative. The treatment duration ranged from 4-250 days. Three patients received posaconazole for management refractory IFI, two for intolerance of previous antifungal therapy, and six for long-term maintenance treatment. The overall successful response rate to posaconazole was 55% (six of eleven patients). Five of eleven patients died during the study period. However, only one death was attributed to the progression of IFI. None of the patients discontinued posaconazole therapy due to adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posaconazole is an attractive oral antifungal agent for salvage treatment of IFI, particularly upon diagnosis of mucormycosis or in cases in which mucormycosis cannot be ruled out due to a negative GM.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Si-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Su-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Dong-Gun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Byung-Sik
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee-Je
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Jong-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woo-Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014230:Triazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D014230:Triazoles; C101425:posaconazole
keywords: Immunocompromised host; mucormycosis; posaconazole; salvage therapy
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