[Adverse reactions in Chagas disease patients treated with benznidazole, in the State of Ceará].
BACKGROUND
Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with benznidazole (BNZ). This drug has the troublesome features of presenting partial effectiveness and high toxicity ranging from hypersensitivity reactions to medullary aplasia. The objective here was to describe and evaluate the occurrence of adverse reactions in Chagas disease patients treated with benznidazole in Fortaleza, Ceará.


METHODS
This was a prospective descriptive study involving 32 chronic Chagas patients treated with benznidazole between January 2005 and April 2006. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and laboratory tests. Blood samples were collected before treatment and after 30 and 60 days of treatment.


RESULTS
Adverse reactions were reported in 28 patients (87.5%) patients and the most frequent of these were pruritus (50%), prickling (43.8%), muscle weakness (37.5%) and skin rash (31.3%). Out of the 28 patients with adverse reactions, eight (28.57%) discontinued their treatment. The adverse reactions that culminated with discontinuation of the treatment were prickling (7; 87.5%) or skin eruptions (5; 62.5%). There was a slight increase in aminotransferase levels during the treatment in 9.4% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Following up the drug therapy administered to Chagas patients is of great importance for prevention and early detection of adverse reactions to drugs.
de Pontes
Vânia Maria Oliveira
VM
Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE.
Souza Júnior
Alcidésio Sales de
AS
Cruz
Francisco Marcondes Tavares da
FM
Coelho
Helena Lutéscia Luna
HL
Dias
Aparecida Tiemi Nagao
AT
Coêlho
Ivo Castelo Branco
IC
Oliveira
Maria de Fátima
Mde F
D000328:Adult; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; C009999:benzonidazole