Liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) compared with amphotericin B +/- FMLP induces significantly less in vitro neutrophil aggregation with granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor/dexamethasone-mobilized allogeneic donor neutrophils.

Concomitant use of allogeneic donor granulocyte transfusions and amphotericin B in febrile neutropenic recipients may be limited by the increased incidence of respiratory distress. In vitro effects of amphotericin B and AmBisome were compared on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) aggregation from PMNs isolated from granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)/dexamethasone-mobilized allogeneic donors. Six allogeneic donors were mobilized with G-CSF (600 microg subcutaneously) and dexamethasone (8 mg orally) 12 hours before leukopheresis. AmBisome was associated with significantly less PMN aggregation (100 microM [microg/mL]) (0.33% +/- 0.33% vs 54.33% +/- 5.82%; P <.001) than amphotericin B. Furthermore, with the addition of the PMN agonist, FMLP, AmBisome was also associated with significantly less aggregation (100 microM [microg/mL]) (18.67% +/- 1.45% vs 54.67% +/- 2.4%; P <.001). In summary, these studies demonstrate that liposomal amphotericin is associated with significantly less in vitro PMN aggregation than amphotericin B and could possibly be administered concomitantly with mobilized allogeneic PMN infusions.