Table 1 Baseline characteristics of all included patients

 Kavuru et al. [22]

34.3 ± 11.2

3

NA

1-4wk, 250μg/d;

5-8wk, up to 5μg/kg/d;

9^thwk, up to 7-9μg/kg/d

12 wk

nausea

and emisis, 1

 Seymour et al. [17]

33 (14–78)

7

12^a

1-5d 3.0μg/kg/d;

6^thd, up to 5.0μg/kg/d;

if no response,

up to 7.5-30 μg/kg/d

12 wk.

neutropenia, 1;

first dose effect, 4;

local erythema, 6;

headache, 1;

fever, 1; asymptomatic splenomegaly 1

 Venkateshiah et al. [23]

45 (21–57)

13

25

1-4wk, 250μg/d;

5-8wk, up to 5μg/kg/d;

9^thwk, up to 9μg/kg/d;

if no response or suboptimal, up to 9-18μg/kg/d

52 wk

erythema, 18;

fatigue, 7;

fever, 4;

dyspnea, 10;

injection-site edema, 12

 Khan et al. [25]

40 ± 5.2

NA

NA

5μg/kg/d

12 wk

NA

 Hadda et al. [24]

48.3 ± 22

NA

2^a

3-5 μg/kg/d

6 wk

neutrophilic leukocytosis, 1

 Wylam et al. [26]

42.8 (22–63)

8

6^a

250μg bid every other week;

if no response up to 500μg bid

32 wk

no side effects

 Tazawa et al. [27]

56 (46–63)

21

39

high dose:

1-8d, 250μg/d, 9-14d none,

six 2-wk cycles;

low dose:

1-4d, 125μg/d, 5-14d none,

six 2-wk cycles

24 wk

total, 7;

fever, 1;

respiratory infection,1;

otitis media, 1;

gastric ulcer, 1;

diarrhea, 1;

pneumonia, 1;

tuberculous lymphadenitis, 1

 Papiris et al. [28]

43.8 ± 15.7

2

6

1-4d, 250μg/d, 5-8d none,

as long as necessary;

if remission, dose down;

if relapse, dose up;

14–65 mo

no significant

adverse effects

 Tazawa et al. [29]

54.7 ± 3.2

2

3

125μg, bid,

during alternate weeks

24 wk

no side effects

 Ohkouchi et al. [30]

45.8 ± 15.7

4

5

1-8d, 125μg bid, 9-14d, none,

six 2-wk cycles;

1-4d, 125μg bid, 5-14d, none,

six 2-wk cycles

24 wk

NA