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Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis does not increase risk of neuropathy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Karol SE, Sun Y, Tang L, Pui CH, Ferrolino J, Allison KJ, Cross SJ, Evans WE et al.

Cancer medicine, 2020

598 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are frequently utilized in pediatric oncology patients as prophylaxis or step-down therapy following broad spectrum beta-lactam therapy for febrile neutropenia. Concerns regarding neurotoxicity limit the use of these agents. No studies have evaluated the association between fluoroquinolone use and neurotoxicity in pediatric oncology patients receiving other neurotoxic agents such as vincristine.

METHODS: An observational cohort study comprising patients aged 0-18 at diagnosis enrolled on a prospective study for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at a pediatric comprehensive cancer center between October 2007 and November 2018. Data for neuropathic pain and sensory or motor neuropathy were collected prospectively, and a Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate associations between administration of fluoroquinolone antibiotics during induction therapy and subsequent development of vincristine-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (VIPN).

RESULTS: A total of 598 participants were enrolled, including 338 (57%) who received fluoroquinolones during induction therapy; of these 470 (79%) were diagnosed with VIPN and 139 (23%) were diagnosed with high-grade (Grade 3+) VIPN. On unadjusted analyses, and analyses adjusted for age and race, there was no evidence of an association between fluoroquinolone exposure and subsequent VIPN (hazard ratio [HR] 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.04, P = .08) or high-grade VIPN (HR 1.1, 95% CI…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 598 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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