title: Controlled trial and dose-finding study of ivermectin for treatment of onchocerciasis.
abstract: Ivermectin, given as a single oral dose, has shown considerable promise as a new treatment for onchocerciasis. We assessed the safety and efficacy of ivermectin and tried to determine the optimal dose. Two hundred Liberians received 100, 150, or 200 micrograms of ivermectin/kg or placebo and were followed up for 12 months. Therapy was associated with only minimal systemic and ocular side effects. A 200-micrograms/kg dose was associated with greater systemic reaction than was a 100-micrograms/kg dose. Each treatment group had significant reduction in skin microfilaria counts by day 3 and a decrease of approximately 95% at three months. At three months the proportion of persons with no microfilariae in a specimen of skin was significantly less in the 100-micrograms/kg group than in the 150-micrograms/kg or 200-micrograms/kg groups. At 12 months, the level of microfilariae in skin was still reduced approximately 80%. Significant reduction in ocular involvement was seen in all groups. These results confirm that single-dose ivermectin is effective and well-tolerated and suggest that 150 micrograms of ivermectin/kg may be the optimal dose for initial therapy.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Newland
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Erttmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keyvan-Larijani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nara
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: D'Anna
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009854:Onchocerca / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D014785:Vision, Ocular
chemical_list: D007559:Ivermectin