Complications of Intrathecal Chemotherapy in Adults: Single-Institution Experience in 109 Consecutive Patients
Table 2
Adverse neurologic events.
No. of patients affected (%)
No. of Events ( occurrence rate per IT treatment)
Treatment
RR
95% CI
P Value
Significant Neuro Events
9 (8.26)
11 (3.10)
Overall
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
1.67
0.19-14.27
0.641
MTX and CYT
1.16
0.50-2.71
0.728
Paresthesias
8 (7.34)
10 (2.82)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
1.67
0.19-14.27
0.64
MTX and CYT
0.64
0.17-2.39
0.51
Paralysis
2 (1.83)
3 (0.85)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
8.33
0.52-133.23
0.134
MTX and CYT
0.80
0.05-12.82
0.876
Minor Events
29 (26.61)
109 (30.70)
Overall
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
1.53
0.75-3.12
0.241
MTX and CYT
0.97
0.66-1.41
0.857
Asthenia
4 (3.67)
10 (2.82)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
2.78
0.56-13.76
0.21
MTX and CYT
0.80
0.26-2.49
0.703
Headache
15 (13.76)
50 (14.08)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
1.23
0.43-3.53
0.694
MTX and CYT
0.68
0.39-1.19
0.180
Back pain
9 (8.26)
18 (5.07)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
2.08
0.44-9.81
0.353
MTX and CYT
1.00
0.40-2.54
0.996
Fever
5 (4.59)
19 (5.35)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
2.78
0.56-13.78
0.211
MTX and CYT
1.47
0.54-3.98
0.447
Nausea
13 (11.93)
48 (13.52)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
0.93
0.21-3.99
0.918
MTX and CYT
1.25
0.69-2.26
0.464
Vomiting
6 (5.50)
32 (9.01)
MTX
1
-
-
CYT
1.11
0.25-4.86
0.889
MTX and CYT
0.91
0.45-1.82
0.788
Multiple major or minor events simultaneously are counted only once in overall (overall numbers are therefore less than total of subcategories). One patient had both paresthesias and paralysis in two events. To avoid double-counting, these events were included only in paresthesias for the RR calculation.