International Journal of Hematology

, Volume 100, Issue 5, pp 473–477 | Cite as

Effect of levofloxacin prophylaxis for prevention of severe infections in multiple myeloma patients receiving bortezomib-containing regimens

  • Sung-Hoon Jung
  • Seung-Ji Kang
  • Hee-Chang Jang
  • Jae-Sook Ahn
  • Deok-Hwan Yang
  • Seung-Shin Lee
  • Yeo-Kyeoung Kim
  • Hyeoung-Joon Kim
  • Je-Jung Lee
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Fluoroquinolone is recommended as a prophylactic antibiotic for high-risk patients with profound neutropenia. We previously reported that multiple myeloma (MM) patients who received bortezomib-based regimens were at higher risk of severe infections (30.9 %) associated with lymphocytopenia. In the study, we evaluated whether severe infectious complications can be prevented by prophylactic administration of oral levofloxacin in MM patients treated with bortezomib-based regimens. A total of 80 patients received oral levofloxacin 500 mg daily during the median four cycles of treatment. The prophylactic group (n = 80) with levofloxacin showed significantly decreased severe infections compared to a historical control group (n = 139) without levofloxacin prophylaxis during treatment of bortezomib-based regimens (17.5 vs. 30.9 %, P = 0.037). In the prophylactic group, two patients (2.5 %) died of pneumonia and septic shock. Four patients (5 %) stopped levofloxacin due to side effects that consisted of gastrointestinal discomfort (2.5 %), itching sense (1.25 %), and QTc prolongation (1.25 %). In conclusion, prophylaxis with levofloxacin may be effective in the prevention of severe infection in MM patients receiving bortezomib-based regimens. A prospective randomized study is needed to test the prophylactic effect of levofloxacin in MM patients treated with bortezomib-based regimens.

Keywords

Multiple myeloma Bortezomib Infection Prophylaxis 
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Notes

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Copyright information

© The Japanese Society of Hematology 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Sung-Hoon Jung
    • 1
  • Seung-Ji Kang
    • 2
  • Hee-Chang Jang
    • 2
  • Jae-Sook Ahn
    • 1
  • Deok-Hwan Yang
    • 1
  • Seung-Shin Lee
    • 1
  • Yeo-Kyeoung Kim
    • 1
  • Hyeoung-Joon Kim
    • 1
  • Je-Jung Lee
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Hematology–OncologyChonnam National University Hwasun HospitalHwasunRepublic of Korea
  2. 2.Department of Infectious DiseaseChonnam National University Hwasun HospitalHwasunRepublic of Korea

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