title: Assessment of allopurinol plus meglumine antimoniate in the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in patients infected with HIV.
abstract: We report on 11 patients with HIV infection and visceral leishmaniasis and who were treated with meglumine antimoniate plus allopurinol for 3 weeks (six patients) or 4 weeks (five patients). Clinical and parasitological cures were achieved in four of the five patients treated for 4 weeks and in one of the six patients treated for 3 weeks. Only one patient developed a severe maculopapular rash. Allopurinol plus meglumine antimoniate was found to be a safe combination of drugs for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in patients infected with HIV. The optimal length of this treatment is unknown but a course of at least 4 weeks' duration would appear to be necessary for obtaining parasitological cure in most cases.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laguna
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Vélez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montilla
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvar
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: González-Lahoz
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D000493:Allopurinol; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate