Etiological drug treatment of human infection by Trypanosoma cruzi.
Forty-nine American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas' disease) patients, with xenodiagnosis proven parasitemia were treated by the authors. Forty-one of these patients were given benznidazole, at dosages ranging from 5mg/kg/day to 8mg/kg/day, during a pre-established period of 60 days. In this group, 17 patients had an undetermined form of the disease, whereas 22 had cardiologic disease and 4 had digestive disease (two patients had a mixed form of the disease). Side effects were frequent, and led to the discontinuation of treatment in 17 patients. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 20 years (mean follow-up period of 6 yrs. 7 mo). 26 (63.4%) of the patients became parasitemia-negative. The other eight patients were treated with nifurtimox, during 120 days, following a variable dose regime of 5mg/kg/day (initial dose) to 17 mg/kg/day (final dose). Six of them had severe side effects, and only one patient remained parasitemia-negative throughout the observation period (ranging from 1 to 18 years). Benznidazole proved to be better tolerated and more effective in the management of parasitemia when compared to nifurtimox, although more effective and less toxic drugs are still desirable.
Levi
G C
GC
Infectious Disease Service, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual, Francisco Morato de Oliveira (São Paulo), Brazil.
Lobo
I M
IM
Kallás
E G
EG
Amato Neto
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009547:Nifurtimox / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi
D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D009547:Nifurtimox; C009999:benzonidazole