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DHRIGUHGLUIGPHDTASTEOSF MEMBER RESEARCH
HOPA 12th Annual Meeting Poster Award Winners
Morgan Belling, PharmD well-tolerated, the U.S. Food and Drug assessed included receiving chemotherapy
PGY-2 Oncology Administration-approved labeling includes within the past 12 months, the treatment
Pharmacy Resident a black-box warning for serious infusion of the initial malignancy, single-agent
WVU Medicine reactions (IR). Clinical trials have reported chemotherapy, underlying respiratory
Morgantown, WV a 15%–20% incidence for all grades of disease, history of allergies, use of
IR, and a 3%–5% incidence for grade 3/4. nonsedating allergy medication, and mean
Lisa M. Cordes, PharmD Retrospective studies have demonstrated a absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte, and
BCOP BCACP higher incidence of all grade IR and grade eosinophil counts. Various combinations
Oncology Clinical Pharmacy 3/4 IR in areas of the southeastern United of premedications given prior to the initial
Specialist States as well as Kansas and Missouri. Lim- IR also were assessed, and no statistical
National Institutes of Health ited data are available regarding cetuximab difference in the incidence of an initial IR
Bethesda, MD rechallenge after an initial IR, and patients was observed. Among patients who experi-
who experience an IR may be excluded enced an initial IR, none had a grade 1 IR,
Featured in this article are excerpts from potentially beneficial therapy with 87.9% had a grade 2 IR, 9.1% had a grade
from Dr. Burke’s and Dr. Folan’s cetuximab if the medication is discontin- 3 IR, and 3% had a grade 4 IR. Approxi-
research posters. Their posters, as ued. Patients at UKH are rechallenged on mately 88% of patients who experienced
well as those submitted by other the same day as an initial IR using a slower an initial IR were rechallenged, and all but
residents and students, may be found infusion rate and administering additional one patient completed the rechallenge
on the HOPA website by selecting the premedications to help prevent an IR dose. Of those who were rechallenged, the
“Education and Conference” tab, then secondary to the rechallenge dose. majority (approximately 38%) received the
“Conference Archives.” Please note rechallenge dose between 30–59 minutes
that access to these electronic posters The primary objective of Dr. Burke’s after the initial dose.
is limited to registered attendees of study was to determine the incidence, IR
the HOPA Annual Conference. grade, timing, and completion of a rechal- This study found incidences of all
lenge dose in patients who experienced an grades of IR similar to those reported
The HOPA Annual Conference consistently initial cetuximab IR. Secondary objectives in clinical trials. However, this study
offers educational sessions to encourage included determining the incidence and demonstrated a much higher incidence of
sharing information and ideas among IR grade that occurred with the adminis- initial IR of grade 3/4 than that reported
attendees, and the 12th Annual Meeting tration of the first dose of cetuximab and in clinical trials (12.1% versus 3%–5%).
was in keeping with this tradition. One of identifying specific risk factors to further Dr. Burke’s study demonstrated that the
the best opportunities for students, characterize patients who experienced an majority of patients were able to be quickly
residents, and practitioners to disseminate initial cetuximab IR. This retrospective, and successfully rechallenged after an
and discuss research is through the poster single-center study included patients with initial IR, which demonstrates that the
presentation sessions. The research squamous cell carcinoma of the head and institution’s current practice of same-day
projects presented at the annual confer- neck who were treated with cetuximab rechallenge is feasible and safe. Additional
ence are assessed by a committee of HOPA as monotherapy or in combination with plans for this research include extending
members, and particularly impactful chemotherapy between June 2008 and the study period to evaluate more patients.
projects are recognized with awards in the September 2015 at UKH or Westwood
categories of clinical/translational research Cancer Center. Patients were excluded if Dr. Folan’s research, “Clinical Outcomes
or practice management. This year’s award they had previous exposure to cetuximab Associated with Linezolid-Resistant
winners were Dr. Ellen Burke, PGY-2 or received cetuximab outside of the UKH S. epidermidis Bloodstream Isolates in
oncology pharmacy resident at the health system. IR were graded using the Leukemia Patients Empirically Treated
University of Kansas Hospital (UKH), and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse with Linezolid,” was recognized with a
Dr. Stephanie Folan, PGY-2 oncology Events (CTCAE v4.03). Clinical/Translational Research Award.
pharmacy resident at the University of Staphyloccocus epidermidis is a common
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients were categorized as either not isolate in bloodstream infections among
experiencing an IR (NR = 132) or expe- patients with hematologic malignancies.
Dr. Burke was recognized for her re- riencing an IR (n = 33). Baseline patient At the University of Texas MD Anderson
search in the area of practice management characteristics of the two groups were Cancer Center, linezolid is used as empiric
focusing on “Assessment of Cetuximab- similar. There was no statistically signif- therapy in 85% of leukemia patients with
Induced Infusion Reactions and Adminis- icant association between any of the pa- febrile neutropenia. However, an estimated
tration Re-Challenge at an Academic Medi- tient-specific risk factors evaluated and the one-third of S. epidermidis bloodstream
cal Center.” Although cetuximab is typically development of an initial IR. Risk factors isolates in patients with leukemia at MD
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