Journal: Scientific reports
This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of levofloxacin prophylaxis in 80 non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients receiving R-CHOP chemotherapy with G-CSF support.
Levofloxacin (500 mg daily for 7 days post-chemotherapy) significantly reduced:
- Febrile episodes: 7.5% vs. 30%
- Febrile neutropenia: 2.5% vs. 20%
- Composite outcome: septic shock, mortality, and chemotherapy dose reduction
Fever-free survival improved, with a hazard ratio of 0.23. Multivariate analysis confirmed a lower risk of febrile episodes in the levofloxacin group.
No increase in mortality or serious adverse events was observed.
The study supports levofloxacin as an effective and well-tolerated prophylactic strategy in this setting, with a recommendation for ongoing antibiotic resistance monitoring.