Peterson, L., Ostermann, J., Rieger, H., Ostermann, H., & Rieger, C.T. (2013). Posaconazole prophylaxis—impact on incidence of invasive fungal disease and antifungal treatment in haematological patients. Mycoses, 56, 651–658.
To evaluate the impact of antifungal prophylaxis in patients with hematologic cancers
Retrospective analysis of medical records was used to compare invasive fungal infection outcomes among patients who received prophylactic posaconazole and a historical cohort treated prior to the implementation of standard prophylaxis. Prophylaxis was used in high-risk patients.
Mean duration of posaconazole prophylaxis was 21.7 days. Comparisons showed that 43% of controls had no IFD, compared to 72% of those with prophylaxis. Possible IFD was seen in 43% of controls and 24% of those on posaconazole. Probable IFD was 7% in controls, compared to 4% of those getting prophylaxis. No cases of IFD were proven among patients receiving prophylaxis, compared to 7% of controls with proven IFD. Forty-one percent of those on prophylaxis required antifungal therapy, compared to 91% of controls.
Findings showed that routine posaconazole prophylaxis in high-risk patients was associated with substantial reduction in the incidence of IFD and treatment with antifungal therapy.
Findings support the routine use of antifungal prophylaxis in high-risk patients with cancer.