cholecalciferol and mepitiostane

In a cooperative trial, 99 patients with refractory anemias were treated according to a standard protocol consisting of successive administration of prednisolone (PSL), 1 alpha hydroxyvitamin D3 (D3) and androgens. The primary objective of this protocol was to ameliorate peripheral cytopenia and to assess the value of the 3 drugs, claimed to be of some value, in the management of patients with refractory anemias. In principle, patients were initially treated with oral PSL 40-60 mg/day. Patients not responding to PSL within 4 weeks had an 8-week trial of D3 starting with 1 microgram/day, increasing to 3 micrograms/day. Those not responding to either of the two were given AS. Although the number of evaluable courses is limited as yet for each drug, the preliminary results suggest 1) a slight to moderate increase in hemoglobin in 20-25% of patients on PSL, 2) a partial increase in granulocyte and/or platelets and a reduction of marrow blasts in 10-20% of patients during the administration of D3 and 3) the effects are poorer in cases of severe cytopenia. In addition, the improvement was mostly transient. The treatment was well tolerated in the majority of patients.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Androgens; Androstanols; Anemia, Refractory; Cholecalciferol; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Oxymetholone; Prednisolone