Table 3.
Infusion related side effects and drugs to suppress febrile reactions in patients receiving rapid (four hours) or continuous (24 hours) infusions of amphotericin B deoxycholate. Values are numbers (percentages) of patients unless stated otherwise
| Infusion rate
|
P value | Relative risk (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid (n=40) |
Continuous (n=40) | |||
| Reactions on day 1: | ||||
| Fever* | 21 (53) | 10 (25) | 0.021 | 2.1 (1.1 to 3.9) |
| Chills or rigors | 21 (53) | 5 (13) | 0.0003 | 4.2 (1.8 to 10) |
| Vomiting | 14 (35) | 4 (10) | 0.009 | 3.5 (1.3 to 9.7) |
| Headache | 4 (10) | 0 | ||
| Others | 1 (3) | 0 | ||
| Overall reactions: | ||||
| Chills or rigors | 25 (63) | 8 (20) | 0.0001 | 3.1 (1.6 to 6.1) |
| Vomiting | 24 (60) | 11 (28) | 0.004 | 2.2 (1.2 to 3.8) |
| Headache | 11 (28) | 4 (10) | ||
| Others | 8 (20) | 2 (5) | ||
| Drugs after day 1: | ||||
| Meperidine | 20 (50) | 6 (15) | 0.002 | 3.3 (1.5 to 7.4) |
| Steroids | 18 (45) | 3 (8) | 0.0001 | 6 (1.9 to 19) |
| Acetaminophen | 30 (75) | 19 (48) | 0.021 | 1.6 (1.1 to 2.3) |
| Dose reductions or infusion interruption | 11 (28) | 3 (8) | 0.022 | 3.7 (1.1 to 12) |
| Median (range) defervescence† (days) | 2 (1-10) | 1 (1-4) | 0.016 | −1 (−2 to 0)‡ |
*
>39.3°C core temperature (corresponding to an axillary temperature of 38.3°C).
†
Fever within 24 hours before treatment was documented for 26 patients in the rapid infusion group and 22 patients in the continuous infusion group.
‡
Median difference.