Myeloid Growth Factors for Drug Induced Neutropenia – pro
Neutropenia and agranulocytosis can occur with the use of many drugs. It is usually a self limiting condition that responds to the withdrawal of drugs. However, there are situations in which a drug is too crucial to be stopped, or in which a combination of drugs is related to neutropenia and even though one can be withdrawn, all cannot be withdrawn. There are a number of publications that investigate the use of colony stimulating agents for drug induced neutropenia and they conclude that they shorten the period of neutropenia and aids recovery. Therefore, the drug is medically necessary as supported by current literature.
Joanna Góra-Tybor et al, Treatment of drug-induced agranulocytosis with colony stimulating factors (G-CSF or GM-CSF). Expert Opinion on Drug Safety 06/2007; 6(3):323-35.
Aapro MS, Bohlius J, Cameron DA, Dal Lago L, Donnelly JP, Kearney N, Lyman GH, Pettengell R, Tjan-Heijnen VC, Walewski J, Weber DC, Zielinski C; European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer.2010 update of EORTC guidelines for the use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor to reduce the incidence of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in adult patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and solid tumours.Eur J Cancer. 2011 Jan;47(1):8-32.
Luisa Ibáñez et al, Use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and outcome in patients with non-chemotherapy agranulocytosis
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 03/2008; 17(3):224-8.