Amphotericin B versus fluconazole for controlling fungal infections in neutropenic cancer patients
Cochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsPublished 22 April 2002
Helle Krogh Johansen, Peter C Gøtzsche
Citations30
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.62
SNIP2.04
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TL;DR
Since intravenous amphotericin B is the only antifungal agent for which there is good evidence suggesting an effect on mortality and is considerably cheaper than fluconazole, it should be preferred.
Abstract
Amphotericin B had been disfavoured in most of the trials through their design or analysis. Since intravenous amphotericin B is the only antifungal agent with a documented effect on mortality and is considerably cheaper than fluconazole, it should be preferred.
Keywords
Medicine
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Amphotericin B has been disfavoured in several of the trials through their design or analysis, or both, and since it is considerably cheaper than fluconazole, it should be the preferred agent.
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Nystatin cannot be recommended for prophylactically or therapeutically to patients with severe immunodeficiency or in the treatment of Candida infections in immunodepressed patients.
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Fluconazole may be preferred as first line empiric antifungal agent, but in case of nonresponse, pneumonia or aspergillosis it may be replaced by amphotericin B combined with flucytosine.
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Since intravenous amphotericin B is the only antifungal agent for which there is good evidence suggesting an effect on mortality and is considerably cheaper than fluconazole, it should be preferred.
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Fluconazole may be preferred as first line empiric antifungal agent, but in case of nonresponse, pneumonia or aspergillosis it may be replaced by amphotericin B combined with flucytosine.
