Salvage treatment of histoplasmosis with posaconazole.
Six patients received salvage treatment with posaconazole oral suspension (800 mg/day in divided doses) for severe forms of histoplasmosis. One patient had pulmonary disease and 5 had disseminated disease. Previous antifungal therapy consisted of amphotericin B, itraconazole, fluconazole, or voriconazole. Posaconazole treatment duration for individual patients ranged from 6 weeks to 34 weeks. All patients had successful clinical outcomes with significant clinical improvements noted during the first month of therapy. Although the number of patients evaluated in this case series is small, the findings are encouraging and provide preliminary evidence that posaconazole may be a useful salvage treatment option for histoplasmosis involving a variety of infected tissues and organs.
Restrepo
Angela
A
Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Carrera, Medellín, Colombia. angelares@geo.net.co <angelares@geo.net.co>
Tobón
Angela
A
Clark
Benjamin
B
Graham
Donald R
DR
Corcoran
Gavin
G
Bradsher
Robert W
RW
Goldman
Mitchell
M
Pankey
George
G
Moore
Thomas
T
Negroni
Ricardo
R
Graybill
John R
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D015521:Ethmoid Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006658:Histoplasma / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D015523:Maxillary Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D016921:Meningitis, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D014230:Triazoles; C101425:posaconazole