Abstract
We performed a comparative study between norfloxacin (NFLX) and polymyxin B (PMB) to determine the prevention of infection during the granulocytopenic period after anti-leukemic chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Twelve patients with acute leukemia were orally administered NFLX at 800mg/day or PMB at 600×104U/day accompanied by amphotericin B at 2, 400mg/day, for 23 courses while their peripheral neutrophil count was less than 1, 000/ul. Background factors before administration, average age, leukemic state, complications, peripheral leukocyte count and body temperature, were not significantly different between the two groups. Since febrile episodes during administration occurred at the same frequency (6 of 11 courses in the NFLX group, and 7 of 12 courses in the PMB group), the effect of NFLX did not seem to be different from that of PMB. The serum level of endospecies were decreased by the administration of each antibiotic in 3 of 4 NFLX courses and in 4 of 7 PMB courses, without any findings of infection. The serum level of beta -D-glucan, an indicator of fungal infection, did not increase in any patients except one in the NFLX group who had no clinical manifestation of any infection. In conclusion, the oral administration of NFLX for the prevention of infection showed the same effectiveness as that of PMB, and was safe without any side-effects in patients with acute leukemia.
