Consider administration of corticosteroids, and reevaluate therapy. Contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to cytarabine. One case of anaphylaxis that resulted in acute cardiopulmonary arrest and required resuscitation has been reported immediately after IV administration of cytarabine. Severe and, at times, fatal CNS, GI, and pulmonary toxicity reported with experimental doses. Rarely, severe skin rash leading to desquamation seen.
Complete alopecia is more common with experimental high doses.
If using experimental high doses, do not use a diluent containing benzyl alcohol. Cardiomyopathy with subsequent death reported with experimental high doses of cytarabine used with cyclophosphamide when used for bone marrow transplant preparation. Interstitial pneumonitis and pancreatitis without a clear cause seen with experimental intermediate doses with other drugs. Acute pancreatitis seen with prior use of L-asparaginase. Two cases of congenital abnormalities reported with first-trimester exposure, one with upper and lower distal limb defects and the other with extremity and ear deformities.