Tolerability and efficacy of single-dose diethyl carbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin in the clearance of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia in Pondicherry, south India.
In a double blind design the tolerability and efficacy of single-dose DEC (6 mg/kg/body weight) or ivermectin (400 microg/kg/body weight) was studied in 30 asymptomatic W. bancrofti parasite carriers each. Although both drugs were tolerated well, the adverse reaction score (DEC 0.5; ivermectin 1.5) and overall incidence (DEC 65.0%; ivermectin 93.3%) were significantly higher in the ivermectin group. Major adverse reactions were fever, headache and myalgia, all of which peaked on the second day post-therapy. Efficacy was measured in terms of proportion of cases clearing parasitaemia and reduction in mean parasite density compared to pre-therapy levels. Although at the end of one year the ivermectin group showed a significantly higher efficacy (34.8%, 97.0%) compared to DEC (8.3%, 83.8%), at the end of the second year there was no significant difference in efficacy between the drugs (73.7%, 99.5% for ivermectin; 47.8%, 98.9% for DEC). The tolerability and efficacy of the two drugs were not significantly different between gender, age and weight classes of patients.
Subramanyam Reddy
G
G
Government General Hospital, Pondicherry, India.
Vengatesvarlou
N
N
Das
P K
PK
Vanamail
P
P
Vijayan
A P
AP
Kala
S
S
Pani
S P
SP
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005369:Filaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D005369:Filaricides; D007559:Ivermectin; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine