[Anti-emetic effect and safety of consecutive use of ondansetron injection in cisplatin-induced nausea and emesis].

Anti-emetic effect, safety and clinical usefulness of Ondansetron injection given in the dose of 4 mg once daily by intravenous administration for 3-5 consecutive days were examined in patients receiving a high single dose (not less than 50 mg/m2 or over 75 mg/body) and lower multiple doses (over 15-20 mg/m2 once daily, for 3-5 consecutive days) of cisplatin. Efficacy rates of inhibitory effects on nausea and emesis in patients receiving the high single dose of cisplatin were 76% on the 1st day, 67% on the 2nd day and 78% on the 3rd day, the average being 71% (86/121 cases) for the 3 days. Those in patients receiving lower multiple doses of cisplatin were 83% on the 1st day, 78% on the 2nd day, 61% on the 3rd day, 65% on the 4th day and 57% on the 5th day, the average being 72% (13/18 cases) for the 3-5 days. Side effects were observed in 15 cases out of 207 (1st course, 182 cases; 2nd course, 21 cases; 3rd course, 4 cases), and major symptoms were headache and fever. Also, abnormalities in clinical laboratory findings attributable to Ondansetron were observed in 13 cases, mainly consisting of elevation of the hepatic function values. From the above, Ondansetron injection which showed sufficient anti-emetic effects on acute emesis and delayed emesis induced by a high single dose or lower multiple doses of cisplatin with its once daily intravenous dose given for 3-5 consecutive days, were considered a safe and clinically useful anti-emetic.