[Clinical study of recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (KW-2228) in pediatric field. 1. Effectiveness on neutropenia by various causes and safety].

: The effect of KW-2228, a derivative of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor, on neutropenia in children was studied in 23 cases of aplastic anemia, 13 cases of chronic benign neutropenia, 6 cases of congenital neutropenia (Kostmann type), 2 cases of cyclic neutropenia, 2 cases associated with glycogenosis type Ib and 1 cases associated with immune deficiency. KW-2228 was administered at 1-8 micrograms/kg subcutaneously and at 2-16 micrograms/kg intravenously. As a principle, the administration was started at low doses and continued for 7-28 days increasing the doses in the cases who didn't respond to the treatment well. The response rate of all the cases by the physicians in charge was 81. 8% (36/44). The mean absolute neutrophil count was increased from 304 to 1,300/microliters in aplastic anemia, from 204 to 3,027/microliters in chronic benign type, from 125 to 2,193/microliters in Kostmann type, and from 360 to 2,007 microliters in others. KW-2228 did not induce any noteworthy serious side effects. These results indicated that KW-2228 is a useful drug to treat neutropenia in children.