title: Efficacy and safety of a single dose pentamidine (7mg/kg) for patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. guyanensis: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been few studies on pentamidine in the Americas; and there is no consensus regarding the dose that should be applied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of pentamidine in a single dose to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical trial of phase II pilot study with 20 patients. Pentamidine was used at a dose of 7 mg/kg, in a single dose. Safety and adverse effects were also assessed. Patients were reviewed one, two, and six months after the end of treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  there was no difference between the treatment groups in relation to gender, age, number or location of the lesions. Pentamidine, applied in a single dose, obtained an effectiveness of 55%. Mild adverse events were reported by 17 (85%) patients, mainly transient pain at the site of applications (85%), while nausea (5%), malaise (5%) and dizziness (5%) were reported in one patient. No patient had sterile abscess after taking medication at a single dose of 7mg/kg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical studies with larger samples of patients would enable a better clinical response of pent amidine at a single dose of 7mg, allowing the application of more powerful statistical tests, thus providing more evidences of the decrease in the effectiveness of that medication. Hence, it is important to have larger studies with new diagrams and/or new medications.
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ellen Priscilla Nunes
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sinésio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talhari
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge Augusto de Oliveira
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro Ourives
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Talhari
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gontijo
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Moreira da
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Silva Junior
authors.affiliation: Fundação de Medicina Tropical do Amazonas Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anette Chrusciak
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Talhari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001550:Benzamidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018334:Leishmania guyanensis; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D001550:Benzamidines; D001786:Blood Glucose; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; C005402:phenamidine isethionate