Case Series

Effectiveness of Steroid Pulse Therapy for Systemic Side Effects after Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Intravesical Instillation Therapy: A Series of Five Cases

Table 2

Management options for treating the side effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin intravesical instillation therapy.

Management options for local side effects
Symptomatic granulomatous prostatitisSymptoms rarely present: perform urine culture.
Administer quinolones.
If quinolones are not effective, administer isoniazid (300 mg/day) and rifampicin (600 mg/day) for three months.
Stop intravesical instillation therapy.

Epididymo-orchitisPerform urine culture and administer quinolones.
Stop intravesical instillation therapy.
Perform orchidectomy if an abscess is present or if there is no response to treatment.

Management options for systemic side effects
General malaise, feverThese generally resolve within 48 hours, with or without antipyretics.

Arthralgia and/or arthritisThis is a rare complication and is considered an autoimmune reaction.
Arthralgia: treat with NSAIDs.
Arthritis: treat with NSAIDs.
If no/partial response, proceed to treatment with corticosteroids, high-dose quinolones, or antituberculosis drugs.

Persistent high-grade fever (>38.5°C for >48 h)Permanently stop BCG instillation.
Immediate evaluation: urine culture, blood tests, chest X-ray.
Administer prompt treatment with more than two antimicrobial agents while a diagnostic evaluation is conducted.
Consult with an infectious disease specialist.

BCG sepsisPrevention: initiate BCG at least two weeks after transurethral resection of the bladder (if there are no signs and symptoms of hematuria).
Stop BCG instillation.
For severe infection:
Administer high-dose quinolones or isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol (1.2 g daily) for six months.
Administer early, high-dose corticosteroids as long as symptoms persist.
Consider administering an empirical nonspecific antibiotic to cover Gram-negative bacteria and/or Enterococcus.

BCG = Bacillus Calmette-Guérin; NSAIDs = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.