Treatment of chronic Chagas' disease with an association of nifurtimox and corticoid

Ten patients with chronic Chagas' disease were treated with nifurtimox (8-9 mg/kg/day) associated with betamethasone (9 mg/day initially and then gradually reduced) during 60 days, with one exception. It was intended to combine the respective anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory actions of thes...

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Published inRevista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 35; no. 6; p. 547
Main Authors Rassi, Anis, Amato Neto, Vicente, de Siqueira, Astolpho Ferraz, Ferriolli Filho, Francisco, Amato, Valdir Sabbaga, Rassi, Gustavo Gabriel, Rassi Junior, Anis
Format Journal Article
LanguagePortuguese
Published Brazil 01.11.2002
Subjects
Adult
Animals
Betamethasone - therapeutic use
Chagas Disease - diagnosis
Chagas Disease - drug therapy
Chronic Disease
Drug Therapy, Combination
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Glucocorticoids - therapeutic use
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nifurtimox - therapeutic use
Treatment Outcome
Trypanocidal Agents - therapeutic use
Xenodiagnosis
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Summary:Ten patients with chronic Chagas' disease were treated with nifurtimox (8-9 mg/kg/day) associated with betamethasone (9 mg/day initially and then gradually reduced) during 60 days, with one exception. It was intended to combine the respective anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory actions of these drugs. The expected stimulating effect of betamethasone on the infection could possibly enhance the anti-Trypanosoma cruzi action of nifurtimox. Long term persistence of negative xenodiagnosis, used to control the results, was observed in only one of the cases. Regaridng the other patients, post-treatment positivity of xenodiagnosis and serological testes attested the failure of this therapy. As this study has demonstrated, adequate and long term follow-up of treated cases is necessary to ensure correct conclusions.
ISSN:0037-8682