REDUCED RENAL TOXICITY AND IMPROVED CLINICAL TOLERANCE OF AMPHOTERICIN-B MIXED WITH INTRALIPID COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL AMPHOTERICIN-B IN NEUTROPENIC PATIENTS

The clinical use of amphotericin B is sometimes limited by nephrotoxicity. In a randomized prospective study, 32 patients treated for haematological malignancies received either amphotericin B in 5% dextrose (group A, 16 patients, 0·7-1 mg/kg/day), or amphotericin B mixed with Intralipid (group B, 16 patients, 0·7-1 mg/kg/day) during prolonged neutropenia. Renal dysfunction occurred in 9/16 patients in group A and 2/16 patients in group B (P < 0·05). Clinical tolerance was improved with a reduction of fever with chills in 12/16 patients in group A compared with 5/16 in group B (P<0·05). Preparation of amphotericin B with Intralipid reduces nephrotoxicity, improves clinical tolerance, may allow an increase in the daily dose of amphotericin B, and be an alternative to liposomal-amphotericin B infusion. © 1992 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.