Protective effect of dexrazoxane on epirubicin cardiotoxicity

OBJECTIVE:To observe the protective effect of dexrazoxane on cardiotoxicity induced by epirubicin.METHODS:After four cycles of chemotherapy alone,84 patients were classified as a dexrazoxane treatment group,chemotherapy group and the dexrazoxane combined with chemotherapy group to observe the ECG changes after 2 cycles.RESULTS:After four-cycles of chemotherapy alone,ECG abnormal incidence was 26.2%(22/84).To proceed two cycles of chemotherapy,the incidence of ECG abnormalities was 38.7%(12/31)in chemotherapy alone group and 16.1%(5/31)in the dexrazoxane combined group.The difference was significant(u=1.977,P0.05).In dexrazoxane treatment group,there was 13.6%(3/22)patients whose ECG charged from abnormal to normal,and 18.2%(4/22)remained stable.The remaining 68.2% patients increased heart damage.The heart damage of remaining 68.2% patients increased.CONCLUSION:Dexrazoxane not only has cardiao-protective activty against cardio-toxicity induced by epirubicin but also has some therapeutic effect.