Table 3 Empiric Fluconazole Antifungal Therapy
From: Fluconazole for empiric antifungal therapy in cancer patients with fever and neutropenia
Variable, No. (%) | All (n = 103) | Treatment Failure (n = 42) | No Treatment Failure (n = 61) |
|---|---|---|---|
LOS before fluconazole started, day | Â | Â | Â |
   Mean (SD) | 13.1 (7.2) | 12.7 (6.9) | 13.4 (7.4) |
   Median (range) | 12 (4–44) | 11 (4–40) | 12 (4–44) |
On other systemic antifungal agent before fluconazole started | Â | Â | Â |
   Amphotericin B | 5 (4.9) | 0 | 5 (8.2) †|
Total fluconazole dosage, gm | Â | Â | Â |
   Mean (SD) | 1.2 (0.9) | 1.0 (0.6) | 1.2 (1.0) |
   Median (range) | 1.0 (0.1–4.4) | 0.9 (0.2–2.6) | 1.0 (0.1–4.4) |
Maximum fluconazole dosage per day, mg | Â | Â | Â |
   Mean (SD) | 218 (93) | 229 (99) | 211 (88) |
   100 – 150 mg | 16 (15.5) | 4 (9.5) | 12 (19.7) |
   200 mg | 71 (68.9) | 31 (73.8) | 40 (65.6) |
   400 – 600 mg | 16 (15.5) | 7 (16.7) | 9 (14.8) |
Duration on fluconazole, day | Â | Â | Â |
   Mean (SD) | 6.1 (4.8) | 5.3 (3.5) | 6.7 (5.4) |
   Median (range) | 5 (1–24) | 4 (1–19) | 5 (1–24) |
Therapy after stopping fluconazole | Â | Â | Â |
   Amphotericin B | 35 (34.0) | 25 (59.5) | 10 (16.4) ‡ |
   Another azole angifungal agent | 0 |  |  |
Empiric fluconazole therapy | Â | Â | Â |
   Continued after discharged | 11 (10.7) | 0 | 11 (18.0) ‡ |
   Stopped before discharged | 92 (89.3) | 42 (100%) | 50 (82.0) |
Indication for stopping fluconazole | Â | Â | Â |
   Treatment failure | 36 (35.0) | 36 (85.7) | 0 ‡ |
Positive fungal culture after starting fluconazole * | 16 (15.5) | 16 (38.1) | 0 ‡ |
Persistent fever after starting fluconazole with negative bacterial and fungal cultures | 17 (16.5) | 17 (40.5) | 0 ‡ |
ADE/toxicity due to fluconazole | 1 (1.0) | 1 (2.4) | 0 |
Patient died | 2 (1.9) | 2 (4.8) | 0 |
   Planned course completed | 41 (39.8) | 1 (2.4) ** | 40 (65.6) ‡ |
   Care withdrawn/non-specified | 15 (14.6) | 5 (11.9) ** | 10 (16.4) |