TREATMENT OF AMERICAN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS - A COMPARISON BETWEEN LOW-DOSAGE (5 MG KG/DAY) AND HIGH DOSAGE (20 MG/KG/DAY) ANTIMONY REGIMENS/

Twenty-three patients from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - an area of Leishma nia (Viannia) braziliensis transmission - were randomly assigned to re ceive either a high dose (20mg/kg/day) of antimony or a lower one (5mg /kg/day) in a 30 days series, The two treatment regimens showed simila r responses. In 10 out of 12 patients receiving a dose of 5 mg/kg/day and 9 out of 11 patients with a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day a complete epit helization was noted by the end of treatment. In addition patients wer e followed for up to 7 years. No reactivation or development of mucosa l lesions were observed in both groups during the extensive follow-up. We think that a low dosage of antimony could be equally effective tha n a higher one, at least in the presence of the clinical picture usual ly seen in Rio de Janeiro.