Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of high-dose fluconazole alone or combined with flucytosine as initial therapy for cryptococcal meningitis(CM)in non-human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-related patients.Methods Twenty-five non-HIV-infected patients with CM from June 2015 to September 20 18 in Huashan Hospital,Fudan University,who were initially treated with high-dose fluconazole with or without flucytosine for at least seven days were retrospectively reviewed.Clinical features and antifungal(600-800 mg/d)regimens were recorded,clinical responses and drug-related adverse events were evaluated.Mann-Whitney test and Fisher's exact probabilities test were applied to compare variables between groups.Results of the 25 patients enrolled in this study,15 had predisposing factors.Headache(25 cases),fever(21 cases),vomiting(13 cases)and neck stiffness(13 cases)were common manifestations.Abnormalities of cranial computed tomography(CT)scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)were found in 22 cases.Nineteen patients were treated with high-dose fluconazole plus flucytosine for initial therapy,and six patients were treated with high-dose fluconazole alone.The course of initial regimens with high-dose fuconazole was 42(29,120)days.At the end of initial therapy,partial response in 20 patients,stable response in three patients and death in two patients were observed,and the overall effective rate was 80%(20/25).In treatment failure group of initial treatment,the proportion of patients with baseline cerebrospinal fuid opening pressure over 300 mmH2 O(1 mmH2O=0.009 8 kPa)and with altered mental status were both significantly higher compared with those in treatment Success group.Fluconazole related adverse drug events were observed including elevated transaminases(one case),gastrointestinal symptoms combined with hypokalemia(two cases),and systemic rash(three cases).Except for three patients with rash reduced the dosage of fluconazole.no other patients were given dosage adjustment.Conclusion High-dose fluconazole alone or combined with flucytosine is effective and safe for the initial therapy of non-HIV-related CM patients.
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of high-dose caspofungin (70 mg/d)as initial or salvage treatment for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.Methods Twenty-one patients with proven or probable invasive pulmonary aspergillosis from June 2014 to October 2017 in Huashan Hospital,Fudan University were retrospectively reviewed.According to the anti-fungal treatment before high-dose caspofungin application,patients were divided into initial treatment group and salvage treatment group.Patients' clinical data and laboratory data were collected.The characteristics,clinical efficacy,adverse reactions,one-year survival rate and the overall effective rate were evaluated.The prognosis of the two groups was compared by Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results Twenty of the 21 patients opportunistic acquired invasive pulmonary aspergillosis during the treatment of underlying diseases.Five patients were initially treated with high-dose caspofungin for 68 (62) days.At week 12,one patient achieved complete response,3 patients achieved partial response,and the overall effective rate was 80% (4/5).Sixteen patients received caspofungin as salvage therapy for 66.50 (58) days,of which one patient got complete response at week 12,10 had partial response,and the overall effective rate was 68.75% (11/16).One-year follow-up showed that no patient died in the initial treatment group,and the one-year survival rate was 100% (5/5).In salvage treatment group,3 patients died of pulmonary bacterial infections and the one-year survival rate was 81.25% (13/16).During treatment,one patient had elevated total bilirubin,which was possibly associated with high-dose caspofungin.Conclusions High-dose caspofungin regimen has good efficacy and safety,both for initial treatment and salvage therapy in patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.