- Arm II: Patients receive consolidation therapy comprising ARA-C SC every 12 hours on days 1-5 and idarubicin (IDA) IV on days 3 and 4 (and day 5 for patients with responding disease). Consolidation therapy continues every 2 months for a total of 3 courses. When blood counts recover, patients receive maintenance therapy comprising IFN-A and ARA-C (if needed) as in induction therapy.