title: A randomized trial comparing a pentavalent antimonial drug and recombinant interferon-gamma in the local treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
abstract: In a randomized prospective trial N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate (Glucantime) and human recombinant interferon-gamma were infiltrated around lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica in Syria. A previous trial had shown that intradermal application of interferon-gamma promoted the healing of similar lesions in the study area. Twenty patients with 38 lesions received 1-3 ml Glucantime and 20 patients with 37 lesions received 25 micrograms of interferon-gamma intradermally once weekly for 5 consecutive weeks. While all lesions treated with Glucantime were free of parasites after the third injection, only 69% of those treated with interferon-gamma were parasitologically cured by week 10. Within 10 weeks, lesions treated with Glucantime healed completely in 29/38, and partially in 9/38, cases, whereas 1/37 and 13/37 lesions treated with interferon-gamma healed completely and partially, respectively. Perilesional application of Glucantime was highly effective and superior to interferon-gamma for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. tropica.
authors.affiliation: Landesinstitut für Tropenmedizin, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Chehade
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Douba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roepke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mouakeh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosenkaimer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bienzle
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D007371:Interferon-gamma