Table 2.
Comparison of variables in courses with IFI during two time periods (1995–2001 versus 2002–06), N = 149
| 1995–2001 | 2002–06 | P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age (years, min.–max.) | 59 (19–76) | 60 (24–81) | 0.195 |
| Median duration of neutropenia (days, IQR) | 22 (17–29) | 21 (17–27) | 0.612 |
| Neutropenia ≥ 10 days (n/N, %) | 60/64 (93.8%) | 79/82 (96.3%) | 0.699 |
| Courses in patients with AML (n/N, %) | 53/65 (81.5%) | 63/84 (75.0%) | 0.427 |
| Treatment with high-dose AraC (n/N, %) | 27/65 (41.5%) | 26/84 (31.0%) | 0.227 |
| Courses with controlled disease before chemotherapy (n/N, %) | 23/65 (35.4%) | 32/84 (38.1%) | 0.864 |
| Courses with controlled disease after chemotherapy (n/N, %) | 38/65 (58.5%) | 56/84 (66.7%) | 0.311 |
| Systemic antifungal prophylaxis (n/N, %) | 59/65 (90.8%) | 69/84 (82.1%) | 0.159 |
| Incidence of IFI (n/N, %) | 65/919 (7.1%) | 84/774 (10.9%) | 0.007 |
| proven IFI | 26/65 (40.0%) | 16/84 (19.0%) | 0.006 |
| probable IFI | 5/65 (7.7%) | 27/84 (32.1%) | <0.001 |
| possible IFI | 34/65 (52.3%) | 41/84 (48.8%) | 0.742 |
| IFI-related mortality (n/N, %) | 37/65 (56.9%) | 24/84 (28.6%) | 0.001 |
| Pathogens in proven IFI | 0.063 | ||
| Aspergillus spp. | 11/26 (42.3%) | 5/16 (31.3%) | |
| Candida albicans | 1/26 (3.8%) | 3/16 (18.8%) | |
| Candida non-albicansa | 8/26 (30.8%) | 8/16 (50.0%) | |
| Aspergillus spp. + Candida spp. | 3/26 (11.5%) | 0 | |
| Mucor sp. | 1/26 (3.8%) | 0 | |
| Blastoschizomyces capitatus | 1/26 (3.8%) | 0 | |
| B. capitatus + Aspergillus spp. | 1/26 (3.8%) | 0 | |
| Reason for starting antifungal treatment | 0.001 | ||
| empirical (n/N, %) | 22/65 (33.8%) | 9/80 (11.3%) | |
| definitive (n/N, %) | 43/65 (66.2%) | 71/80 (88.8%) | |
| Median time to IFI treatment from date of IFI diagnosis (days, IQR) | 0 (−2 to 1) | 0 (0–1) | 0.047 |
| Initial antifungal treatmentb (n/N, %) | |||
| amphotericin B | 52/64 (81.3%) | 57/84 (67.9%) | 0.090 |
| caspofungin | 3/64 (4.7%) | 10/84 (11.9%) | 0.151 |
| voriconazole | 0 | 5/84 (6.0%) | 0.070 |
| itraconazole | 3/64 (4.7%) | 2/84 (2.4%) | 0.652 |
| fluconazole | 0 | 1/84 (1.2%) | 1.000 |
| liposomal amphotericin B | 1/64 (1.6%) | 0 | 0.432 |
| combination therapy | 5/64 (7.8%) | 5/84 (6.0%) | 0.746 |
| no antifungal treatment | 0 | 4/84 (4.8%) | 0.134 |
| Any antifungal treatmentb,c (n/N, %) | |||
| amphotericin B | 61/64 (95.3%) | 63/84 (75.0%) | 0.001 |
| caspofungin | 8/64 (12.5%) | 40/84 (47.6%) | <0.001 |
| voriconazole | 0 | 11/84 (13.1%) | 0.003 |
| itraconazoled | 11/63 (17.5%) | 15/84 (17.9%) | 1.000 |
| fluconazoled | 4/63 (6.3%) | 2/84 (2.4%) | 0.402 |
| liposomal amphotericin Bd | 12/63 (19.0%) | 1/84 (1.2%) | <0.001 |
| combination therapyd | 14/63 (22.2%) | 15/84 (17.9%) | 0.536 |
IQR, interquartile range; AraC, cytarabine.
aCandida glabrata in 10 courses, Candida tropicalis in 2 courses, Candida krusei in 2 courses, Candida guilliermondii in 1 course and Candida sp. in 1 course.
bIndependent of the duration of treatment; use of caspofungin in years before 2002 in clinical trials only.
cMultiple antifungal agents possible.
dAntifungal treatment was not completely evaluable in one course.