Study variables:
Demographic variables such as age, sex, underlying oncologic or
hematological disease, reception of HSCT, and development of
graft-versus-host disease were recorded. PP was defined as antifungal
prophylaxis using posaconazole (in oral suspension) for more than seven
consecutive days in a patient without symptoms suggestive of invasive
fungal infection.
Variables associated with toxicity and the effectiveness of PP were also
registered, including the prophylactic dose used, concomitant use of
proton pump inhibitors, presence of mucositis, clinical manifestations
(while using PP), liver enzyme values - alanine-aminotransferase (ALT)
and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)- and the history and development of
new fungal infection during antifungal prophylaxis (breakthrough fungal
infection). Liver function test values were divided into 3 periods:
before (AST and ALT tests obtained 2 weeks before the initiation of PP);
during (maximum AST and ALT values during PP); and after PP (AST and ALT
tests performed up to 2 weeks after discontinuing PP). To determine and
classify invasive fungal infections as possible, probable, and proven,
the diagnostic criteria of the European Organization for Research and
Treatment of Cancer and Mycoses Study Group of the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases (EORTC/MSG) were used (8). No data
regarding posaconazole plasma levels were collected because the test was
not available at the institution during the data collection period.