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Tomlinson D, Robinson P, Oberoi S, Cataudella D, Culos-Reed N, Davis H, Duong N, Gibson F, Götte M, Hinds P, Nijhof S, van der Torre P, Cabral S, Dupuis L, Sung L. Pharmacologic interventions for fatigue in cancer and transplantation: a meta-analysis. Curr Oncol 2018; 25:e152-e167. [PMID: 29719440 PMCID: PMC5927795 DOI: 10.3747/co.25.3883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Our objective was to determine whether, compared with control interventions, pharmacologic interventions reduce the severity of fatigue in patients with cancer or recipients of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (hsct). Methods For a systematic review, we searched medline, embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, cinahl, and Psychinfo for randomized trials of systemic pharmacologic interventions for the management of fatigue in patients with cancer or recipients of hsct. Two authors independently identified studies and abstracted data. Methodologic quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The primary outcome was fatigue severity measured using various fatigue scales. Data were synthesized using random-effects models. Results In the 117 included trials (19,819 patients), the pharmacologic agents used were erythropoietins (n = 31), stimulants (n = 19), l-carnitine (n = 6), corticosteroids (n = 5), antidepressants (n = 5), appetite stimulants (n = 3), and other agents (n = 48). Fatigue was significantly reduced with erythropoietin [standardized mean difference (smd): -0.52; 95% confidence interval (ci): -0.89 to -0.14] and with methylphenidate (smd: -0.36; 95% ci: -0.56 to -0.15); modafinil (or armodafinil) and corticosteroids were not effective. Conclusions Erythropoietin and methylphenidate significantly reduced fatigue severity in patients with cancer and in recipients of hsct. Concerns about the safety of those agents might limit their usefulness. Future research should identify effective interventions for fatigue that have minimal adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Tomlinson
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
| | | | - S. Oberoi
- Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, Toronto, ON
| | - D. Cataudella
- Department of Pediatric Psychology, Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON
| | - N. Culos-Reed
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
| | - H. Davis
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
| | - N. Duong
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
| | - F. Gibson
- Centre for Outcomes and Experiences Research in Children’s Health, Illness, and Disability, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, and School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K
| | - M. Götte
- University Hospital Essen, Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Essen, Germany
| | - P. Hinds
- Department of Nursing Science, Professional Practice, and Quality, Children’s National Health System; and Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC, U.S.A
| | - S.L. Nijhof
- Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital (part of UMC Utrecht), Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - P. van der Torre
- Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital (part of UMC Utrecht), Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - S. Cabral
- Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, Toronto, ON
| | - L.L. Dupuis
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
- Department of Pharmacy, The Hospital for Sick Children; and Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
| | - L. Sung
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
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Efficacy of epoetin-beta 30,000 IU/week in correcting anaemia in patients with gastrointestinal tumours subjected to concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Clin Transl Oncol 2013; 12:843-8. [PMID: 21156416 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-010-0607-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the project was to assess the effectiveness and safety of weekly epoetin-beta (EB) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer (GIC) subjected to concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCTRT). METHODS In this clinical prospective and multicentre cohort study EB was administered at a dose of 30,000 IU/ week, during CCTRT and in the four weeks thereafter, and suspended if haemoglobin (Hb) increased >2 g/dl or Hb >12-13 g/dl. Effectiveness was defi ned as Hb increase ≥1 g/dl vs. baseline. Time to response, treatment toxicity and transfusion requirements were also assessed. RESULTS EB was effective in 75.8% of the evaluable population within a median of four weeks from EB initiation, without blood transfusions. Over 80% of all patients remained below the threshold (Hb ≤13 g/dl) and no study drug-related adverse reactions were recorded. CONCLUSION Weekly EB proved to be effective and well tolerated by patients with GIC subjected to CCTRT.
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