Lack of efficacy of mefloquine in the treatment of New World cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia.
In a nonblinded, therapeutic trial conducted in Colombia, 1.25-1.5 grams of mefloquine base given as a single oral dose or as 250 mg a day for 5-6 consecutive days was not efficacious in the treatment of New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. The drug had cured only 30.8 % of patients with leishmaniasis skin lesions by the 10th week after start of therapy as compared with a 27.9% complete cicatrization rate in historical controls treated with placebo tablets and an 86.3% cicatrization rate in historical controls who received meglumine antimoniate, 20 mg/ kg/day intramuscularly for 20 days, with no upper limit to daily dose. It is concluded that a single course treatment with mefloquine is not indicated as monotherapy in the treatment of Colombian cutaneous leishmaniasis primarily due to L. panamensis.
Hendrickx
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EP
Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
Agudelo
S P
SP
Munoz
D L
DL
Puerta
J A
JA
Velez Bernal
I D
ID
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000962:Antimalarials; D015767:Mefloquine