Dose-finding study of oral metopimazine.

A few studies indicate a dose-response effect of the antiemetic metopimazine. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the tolerability of increasing doses of metopimazine given orally every 4 h for eleven doses. The dose levels 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg and 60 mg were studied in 36 patients completing 46 cycles of chemotherapy. Serum concentrations of metopimazine and the acid metabolite AMPZ were measured by HPLC in 13 patients (15 cycles). The dose-limiting toxicity was moderate to severe dizziness caused by orthostatic hypotension as seen in 0, 0, 17%, 42% and 50% of patients at the respective dose levels. Other side effects were few and mild, and only a single possible extrapyramidal adverse event was observed in a patient at the 60-mg dose. High serum concentrations were not predictive for toxicity, as found on comparison of patients with and without symptoms, but in individual patients symptoms were seen at the time of Cmax. We found that metopimazine was safe with a dosage of 30 mg x 6. This dose is four times higher than that previously recommended for antiemetic use.