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Pharmacokinetic and clinical outcomes when ideal body weight is used to dose busulfan in obese hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 54, pages 218–225 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

Weight-based dosing of intravenous busulfan is widely used in hematopoietic cell transplantation. However, a variety of dosing weights have been described. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the pharmacokinetic impact of using ideal body weight as the initial dosing weight in obese as compared to non-obese transplant recipients. The secondary objectives were to describe the use of alternative dosing weights, the impact on survival, and the rates of toxicities. The mean steady-state concentration was 779.3 ng/mL (n = 82) in the non-obese cohort and 673.7 ng/mL (n = 63) in the obese cohort (p < 0.001). A smaller proportion of concentrations were below goal in the non-obese cohort (10% vs. 41%, p < 0.001). Ideal body weight and adjusted body weights with a 25 and 40% correction factor are appropriate in non-obese patients; adjusted body weights with a 25 and 40% correction factor are appropriate in obese patients. There was no difference in overall survival (p = 0.18); there was a difference in median progression-free survival (1078 vs. 500 days, p = 0.045) in the non-obese compared to obese cohorts. The use of ideal body weight to dose busulfan resulted in lower steady-state concentrations, a larger proportion of subtherapeutic concentrations, and worse progression-free survival in obese patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Shawn P. Griffin, Sarah E. Wheeler, Laura E. Wiggins & Ashley I. Richards

  2. Divison of Hematology Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Hemant S. Murthy & Jack W. Hsu

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  1. Shawn P. Griffin
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Correspondence to Shawn P. Griffin.

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Griffin, S.P., Wheeler, S.E., Wiggins, L.E. et al. Pharmacokinetic and clinical outcomes when ideal body weight is used to dose busulfan in obese hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant 54, 218–225 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-018-0240-3

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