Aim To evaluate the influence of hydration infusion rate on frequency of systemic complications during chemotherapy administration and intercycle follow up.

Method A prospective study of 101 adult cancer patients undergoing outpatient treatment was conducted. They received 145 cisplatin-based chemotherapy infusions. Cisplatin infusion rate was standard, while fluid infusion rate varied, according to chemotherapy schemas. Infusions were categorised using quartiles of the infusion times distributed into four categories.

Results Clinical response measured by renal output during infusion follow up was registered highest in the shortest duration category (P=0.0230). Anaemia during infusion and at intercycle follow up was associated with infusion duration (P=0.0007; P=0.0136). Renal and myelotoxicity were not statistically associated with infusion duration.

Conclusion The category of shortest infusion duration was the safest. Infusion times of fluid therapy may influence systemic complications during chemotherapy administration and intercycle follow up, and the risk of systemic events may increase in infusions lasting more than five hours. Infusion nurses should take this finding into consideration during care planning.