title: 'Acceptability' of a new oral suspension formulation of mercaptopurine in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this questionnaire-based survey was to determine the 'acceptability' of Xaluprine®, a new oral liquid formulation of mercaptopurine, when administered chronically to children during the maintenance treatment phase of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single centre survey of children (aged 3 to 16 years) and their parents at a routine follow-up visit during the maintenance phase of acute lymphoblastic leukaemica treatment. The questionnaire probed for their views on overall acceptability such as taste, smell, incidences of vomiting, ease and willingness to take Xaluprine® on a daily basis, and utilised a 5-point facial hedonic scale (1 = bad, 5 = good) as well as open/closed questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two children were recruited; 17 (77%) scored taste between 3 and 5 ('okay' to 'good') and 20 (91%) scored smell between 3 and 5. Only four children (18%) reported an aftertaste. Of the five children (23%) who scored taste as 1 or 2 ('bad'), three found taking all oral medicines difficult. Six children (27%) reported vomiting, but this was not considered related to Xaluprine®. Seven children (32%) sometimes complained that they did not want to take Xaluprine®; 15 (68%) never complained. In response to the question, 'How easy is it for you to take Xaluprine®?' 18 children (82%) reported that it was 'Easy all the time.' This was more favourable than other oral liquid medicines that they were taking concurrently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this survey show that Xaluprine® has good overall acceptability in the paediatric population and suggests that Xaluprine® is an important, alternative, age-appropriate formulation of mercaptopurine.
authors.affiliation: Nova Laboratories Limited, Leicester, UK Department of Pharmacy, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK hussain.mulla@uhl-tr.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Hussain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mulla
authors.affiliation: St Albans, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.affiliation: Sir James Spence Institute, Great North Children's Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle UK.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Sir James Spence Institute, Great North Children's Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle UK.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.affiliation: Sir James Spence Institute, Great North Children's Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle UK.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Haematology and Oncology and Children's BMT Unit, Great North Children's Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Roderick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Skinner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004339:Drug Compounding; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013535:Suspensions; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D013535:Suspensions; D015122:Mercaptopurine
keywords: Mercaptopurine; acceptability; acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; palatability