Liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome®) at beginning of its third decade of clinical use.
Haematologists have been using liposomal amphotericin-B (L-AMB) since 1993 and despite the introduction of several novel antifungal agents over the past decade, their propensity to prescribe L-AMB remains unchanged. Although antifungal guidelines strongly recommend voriconazole as the drug of choice in the treatment of probable and proven invasive fungal disease (IFD), L-AMB is widely used in the real life because of its several advantages in terms of wide anti-mould spectrum, tolerability and efficacy. Furthermore, the concept that L-AMB is endowed with immune-modulating effects, which may have a role in fighting IFD, represent another reason for its use in patients who do not tolerate an excess of inflammation. Finally, given its tolerability and safety, L-AMB is an ideal partner for combining therapy, particularly with echinocandins with which shares the immunological properties that result in a synergistic effect.
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Hematology and BMT Unit , University of Parma , Parma , Italy.
Franco
F
Aversa
b Department of Oncology and Hematology, BMT Unit , A.O. Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino , Torino , Italy.
Alessandro
A
Busca
c Hematology and Center for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy , Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Udine , Udine , Italy.
Anna
A
Candoni
d Pediatric Hematology Oncology , G.B. Rossi Hosptial , Verona , Italy.
Simone
S
Cesaro
e Hematology , University 'La Sapienza' Rome , Benevento , Roma.
Corrado
C
Girmenia
f Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences UNIMORE , Division of Hematology AOU Policlinico , Modena , Italy.
Mario
M
Luppi
g Dipartimento di Ematologia ed Oncologia , Niguarda Cancer Centre ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda Piazza Ospedale , Milano , Italy.
Anna Maria
AM
Nosari
h Hematology Unit , Catholic University Holy Hearth , Roma , Italy.
Livio
L
Pagano
i Department of Experimental Medicine , University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy.
Luigina
L
Romani
j Ematologia e Dipartimento di Oncologia Clinica, A.O. Spedali Civili , Brescia , Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Rossi
k Hematology Unit , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.
Adriano
A
Venditti
l Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology Section , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
Andrea
A
Novelli
D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000009:adverse effects; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000009:adverse effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000072742:Invasive Fungal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008081:Liposomes; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008081:Liposomes; C068538:liposomal amphotericin B; D000666:Amphotericin B
Antifungal activity; Antifungal prophylaxis; Immune-pharmacology; Invasive fungal infection; Liposomal amphotericin