Tolerability and efficacy of single-dose diethyl carbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin in the clearance of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia in Pondicherry, south India

Citation
Gs. Reddy et al., Tolerability and efficacy of single-dose diethyl carbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin in the clearance of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia in Pondicherry, south India, TR MED I H, 5(11), 2000, pp. 779-785
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health
Journal title
TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
ISSN journal
13602276 → ACNP
Volume
5
Issue
11
Year of publication
2000
Pages
779 - 785
Database
ISI
SICI code
1360-2276(200011)5:11<779:TAEOSD>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
In a double blind design the tolerability and efficacy of single-dose DEC ( 6 mg/kg/body weight) or ivermectin (400 mug/kg/body weight) was studied in 30 asymptomatic W. bancrofti parasite carriers each. Although both drugs we re tolerated well, the adverse reaction score (DEC 0.5; ivermectin 1.5) and overall incidence (DEC 65.0%; ivermectin 93.3%) were significantly higher in the ivermectin group. Major adverse reactions were fryer, headache and m yalgia, all of which peaked on the second day post-therapy. Efficacy was me asured in terms of proportion of cases clearing parasitaemia and reduction in mean parasite density compared to pretherapy levels. Although at the end of one year the ivermectin group showed a significantly higher efficacy (3 4.8%, 97.0%) compared to DEC (8.3%, 83.8%), at the end of the second year t here was no significant difference in efficacy between the drugs (73.7%, 99 .5% for ivermectin; 47.8%, 98.9% for DEC). The tolerability and efficacy of the two drugs were not significantly different between gender, age and wei ght classes of patients.