Abstract |
This paper reports on adverse reactions following a 12-day course of 6 mg/kg diethylcarbamazine (DEC) therapy in brugian filariasis patients in Indonesia. Microfilaria-positive individuals (n = 26), 'endemic normals' (n = 12) and elephantiasis patients (n = 17) were included in the study. Fever, headache and body aches started between 2 and 24 h after DEC intake. Adverse reactions were categorized into 'no or mild', 'moderate' or 'severe' depending on the total reaction score. Four microfilaraemic individuals (15.4%) suffered from severe adverse reactions and their pre-treatment microfilarial levels (geometric mean, GM = 3060 mf/10 mL) were significantly higher than in the 5 microfilaraemic individuals (19.2%) suffering from moderate reactions (GM = 1268 mf/10 mL) and in the 17 microfilaraemic patients (65.4%) who experienced no or mild reactions (GM = 6 mf/10 mL)(P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Endemic normals showed no or mild adverse reactions. No or mild adverse reactions were also recorded in all but 2 elephantiasis patients after DEC intake. Two elephantiasis patients with moderate reactions had high levels of circulating microfilariae at pre-treatment (2097 and 7375 mf/10 mL). Concentrations of DEC were measured in plasma, but could not explain the differences in the severity of adverse reactions.
|
Authors | M Haarbrink, A J Terhell, G K Abadi, Y Mitsui, M Yazdanbakhsh |
Journal | Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
(Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg)
1999 Jan-Feb
Vol. 93
Issue 1
Pg. 91-6
ISSN: 0035-9203 [Print] England |
PMID | 10492800
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
Chemical References |
- Antibodies, Helminth
- Filaricides
- Immunoglobulin G
- Diethylcarbamazine
|
Topics |
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Animals
- Antibodies, Helminth
(blood)
- Brugia
(immunology)
- Child
- Diethylcarbamazine
(adverse effects)
- Elephantiasis, Filarial
(drug therapy, immunology, parasitology)
- Female
- Filaricides
(adverse effects)
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G
(blood)
- Male
- Middle Aged
|