title: Alternate-day versus once-daily administration of amphotericin B in the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Animal studies and case series have demonstrated the dose-dependent efficacy and long half-life of amphotericin B deoxycholate (ABd), providing the rationale for our randomized controlled study to compare once-daily (OD) (1 mg/kg) and alternate-d (AD) (2 mg/kg) administration of ABd in the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis in patients with AIDS hospitalized at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand, from 2003 to 2004. Of 28 patients, 15 and 13 received OD and AD administration, respectively. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the demography, clinical features, and laboratory data. After 2 weeks of the intensive-phase treatment, there was no significant difference in the clinical response between the OD (80%) and AD (76.9%) groups. Mycological response was observed in 33.3% and 10% of patients in the OD and AD groups, respectively (p = 0.3). There was no difference in nephrotoxicity and infusion-related events. In conclusion, this is the first randomized controlled study comparing OD and AD administration of ABd in the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis. Although our study was not sufficiently powered to draw conclusions on clinical efficacy and toxicities, the results are encouraging and should warrant further clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and adverse effects with a larger sample size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Malee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Techapornroong
authors.forename: Chusana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suankratay
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects*; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013785:Thailand; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid; D000666:Amphotericin B; C059765:amphotericin B, deoxycholate drug combination