COMPARISON OF EFFICACY AND SIDE EFFECTS OF ONDANSETRON AND METOCLOPRAMIDE PLUS DIPHENHYDRAMINE IN CHILDREN WITH CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED VOMITING

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting are still the major problem for cancer patients receiving antineoplastic drugs. Several drugs have been employed as antiemetic agent for the prevention of emesis. Of these, ondansetron and metoclopramide are administered frequently. In this prospective randomized study, the efficacious and side effects of both drugs were compared in children. Study was performed on 15 patients with 64 cycles of antineoplastic drug administration. Administration numbers of both drugs were equal. Effects and side effects were evaluated according to the type of antineoplastic drugs. (Cisplatin and Non-cisplatin groups). This study indicated that complete protection from nausea and vomiting could be obtained in 26 of 32 (81.25%) cycles starting with ondansetron and 18 of 32 (56.25%) cycles starting with metoclopramide plus diphenhydramine (P<0.05). Side effects were observed in 9 (28.1%) cycles in metoclopramide plus diphenydramine group whereas in 3 (9.8%) cycles in ondansetron group (P>0.05). In conclusion, control of acute phase of cancer therapy induced emesis in childhood malignencies was possible in over 80% of patients undergoing emetogenic treatment, and ondansetron was found to be superior to metoclopramide plus diphenhydramine.

Keywords: Childhoud, vomiting, nausea, chemotherapy-induced, ondansetron, metoclopramide