title: Efficacy and safety of caspofungin in children: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Invasive fungal infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Caspofungin is an echinocandin used as an alternative treatment in the prevention and/or treatment of certain invasive fungal infections in children, although compared to the standard treatment there is little evidence on its efficacy and safety.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of caspofungin compared with other antifungal drugs for the prevention and/or treatment of invasive fungal infections in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The objective of the initial search strategy was to identify randomized controlled studies of acceptable methodological quality (Jadad scale >3), through the key word "caspofungin", conducted in patients with an age range from 0 to 18 years old.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The objective of the initial search strategy was to identify randomized controlled studies of acceptable methodological quality (Jadad scale >3), through the key word "caspofungin", conducted in patients with an age range from 0 to 18 years old.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systematic review suggests that caspofungin could be considered as an alternative drug in children for the prevention and treatment of invasive fungal infections. However, given the small number of existing publications, more studies are required to reach definite conclusions.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Control Epidemiológico e Infectología, Hospital J. P. Garrahan, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. margris2@yahoo.com.ar.
authors.forename: María T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rosanova
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital de Pediatría J. P. Garrahan, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bes
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Evaluación, Servicio Canario de la Salud (SESCS), Red de Investigación de Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC), Tenerife, España.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serrano Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Fundación Canaria de Investigación Sanitaria (FUNCANIS), Tenerife, España.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cuellar Pompa
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital de Pediatría J. P. Garrahan, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sberna
authors.affiliation: Maestría en Investigación en Farmacología Clínica, Universidad Abierta Interamericana (UAI), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lede
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077336:Caspofungin; D002648:Child; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D054714:Echinocandins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D000077336:Caspofungin
keywords: Caspofungin; Child; Efficacy; Mycosis; Safety