Background: To evaluate the efficacy of i.v. amphotericin B (AmB) as prophylaxis of deep mycosis (DM) in allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT).
Methods: From July 1991 to May 1993, 45 consecutive patients treated by allogenic BMT with no previous history of systemic mycosis and with normal renal function were administered prophylactic AmB at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg/48 h from day + 1 BMT until hemoperipheral recovery (group A). These were compared with an historic control group made up of 45 consecutive patients submitted to BMT from January 1990 to June 1991 who did not receive prophylactic AmB (group B). During the neutropenic phase all the patients remained in isolation units with laminar flow of filtered air and were administered oral non absorbable antibiotic therapy and diet of low bacterial content. The incidence of DM and the dose of AmB administered during the first 120 days post BMT were evaluated.
Results: In the first 30 days following BMT 3 (7%) cases of DM were observed in group A and 3 (7%) in group B. Four (9%) additional cases were found from days 30 to 120 in group A and 3 (7%) in group B. In 3 (7%) patients of the group which received prophylaxis and in 4 (9%) of the control group Candida spp. was isolated. In 3 (7%) patients from group A and 1 (2%) patient from group B the infection was due to Aspergillus. Although the patients from group A received therapeutic AmB less frequently (78% vs 91%) and later (13 [SD +/- 5.9] vs 9.2 [SD +/- 4.6] days) than those of group B (p < 0.002) the mean dose of AmB per patient treated was similar in both groups (11.3 [SD +/- 8.8] vs 11.8 [SD +/- 7] mg/kg).
Conclusions: The prophylactic use of systemic amphotericin during the neutropenic phase of bone marrow transplantation does not reduce either the incidence of deep mycosis or the mean dose of amphotericin administered.