Olanzapine Reduces Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting Compared With Aprepitant in Myeloma Patients Receiving High-dose Melphalan Before Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION

Acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) occurs in most patients who receive high-dose melphalan and significantly affects patients' quality of life during autologous stem cell transplantation. Faced with unsatisfactory results using an aprepitant-based regimen, an olanzapine-based regimen was initiated, with the hope of improving the incidence of acute and delayed CINV. A retrospective study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of olanzapine- versus aprepitant-based regimens for CINV prevention in adult hematopoietic stem cell recipients who received high-dose melphalan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We compared olanzapine (n = 43) to aprepitant (n = 54) and fosaprepitant (n = 20). Olanzapine was given orally at 5 mg twice daily for 5 days, aprepitant was given at 125 mg on day -1 and 80 mg on days 0 and 1, and fosaprepitant was given at 150 mg on day -1. The dose of 2 concomitant drugs (dexamethasone and 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist) was similar in the 2 groups. Nausea prevention was the primary endpoint. A complete response using a composite index of no emesis and no use of rescue medications was the secondary endpoint.

RESULTS

The results showed that olanzapine significantly reduced the number of patients who experienced acute (P < .0001) or delayed (P < .004) nausea and significantly reduced the use of rescue medications for acute-onset (P < .0046) and delayed-onset (P < .0001) CINV compared with aprepitant.

CONCLUSION

Compared with fosaprepitant, olanzapine reduced the number of patients with acute (P < .0318) and delayed (P < .1519) nausea and reduced the need for rescue medications for acute-onset (P < .0643) and delayed-onset (P < .0024) CINV.