Early cardiotoxicity of the CHOP regimen in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND

To determine the incidence of early cardiotoxicity induced by the CHOP regimen in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and to identify associated risk factors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis included 135 consecutive patients who had been treated with the CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristin, prednisone) regimen as first-line therapy between 1994 and 2000. The cardiac evaluation was based on a determination of the resting left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) by gated blood-pool imaging. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a significant decrease in LVEF or clinical evidence of congestive heart failure (CHF).

RESULTS

Twenty-seven (20%) patients developed a cardiac event within 1 year of treatment. Among these, 14 patients had clinical signs of CHF. Three patients died suddenly from presumed cardiac causes. In multivariate analysis, a cumulative dose of doxorubicin >200 mg/m(2) [odds ratio (OR) = 4.2, P = 0.005)] and age over 50 years (OR = 2.9, P = 0.03) appeared to be significant risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Early clinical and subclinical cardiotoxicity was frequent in patients receiving the CHOP regimen. The threshold of the cumulative dose of doxorubicin appeared to be low: at doses >200 mg/m(2), 27% of patients had cardiac events. Elderly patients appeared to be at higher risk. The development of cardioprotective strategies or alternative treatments are mandatory for aggressive NHL patients.