Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To explore the efficacy and safety of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) in prevention of infections in the children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after chemotherapy.
METHODS The clinical data were retrospectively collected from the children with ALL who received vincristine + daunorubicin + pegaspargase + prednisone acetate (VDLP) induction chemotherapy in pediatrics department of the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jan. 2018 to Oct. 2024, the children were respectively treated with PEG-rhG-CSF or recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) during the chemotherapy. The incidence of grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ agranulocytosis, the lowest absolute value of neutrophils, duration of grade Ⅳ agranulocytosis, incidence of agranulocytosis accompanied by fever, incidence of infections, use of antibiotics and length of hospital stay were observed and compared between the two groups.
RESULTS Totally 47 children with ALL were enrolled in the study and were assigned as the PEG-rhG-CSF group with 24 cases and the rhG-CSF group with 23 cases. There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ agranulocytosis and musculoskeletal soreness between the two groups. The lowest absolute value of neutrophils of the PEG-rhG-CSF group (0.88±0.87)×109/L was higher than that of the rhG-CSF group; the duration of grade Ⅳ agranulocytosis of the PEG-rhG-CSF group 2.50(0.00, 6.50) d was shorter than that of the rhG-CSF group; the incidence of agranulocytosis accompanied by fever (41.67%), incidence of infections (41.67%) and the percentage of children treated with antibiotics were lower in the PEG-rhG-CSF group than in the rhG-CSF group; the length of hospital stay of the PEG-rhG-CSF group was shorter than that of the rhG-CSF group; there were significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION The prophylactic use of PEG-rhG-CSF may raise the lowest value of neutrophils, shorten the duration of agranulocytosis, decrease the incidence of hospital-associated infections in the ALL children during the induction chemotherapy, and reduce the use of antibiotics, with the safety favorable.