Leishmaniasis visceral, Anfotericina liposomal

	Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Sep 15;37(6):800-4. Epub 2003 Aug 28. Single-dose liposomal amphotericin B in the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in India: a multicenter study. Sundar S, Jha TK, Thakur CP, Mishra M, Singh VP, Buffels R. Kala-azar Medical Research Center, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221 005, India. shyam_vns@satyam.net.in Widespread antimony resistance renders conventional amphotericin B the only option for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in North Bihar, India. Because of its excellent safety profile, a large dose (7.5 mg/kg) of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) was given to each of 203 patients with VL at 4 treatment centers, and the patients were discharged the next day. At initial clinical and parasitological follow-up, performed on day 30 after treatment, evidence of a cure was seen in 195 (96%) of 203 patients (95% CI, 92-98); 4 patients experienced treatment failure. Two patients were lost to follow-up, 2 died (one due to progressive disease and another, 5 months after treatment, due to an unrelated illness), and 12 experienced relapses during follow-up. Thus, 183 patients (90%; 95% CI, 85-94) had obtained final cure 6 months after treatment. Very few adverse events (fever with rigor, in 9.8% of patients) were seen. Single-dose L-AmB (7.5 mg/kg) treatment is safe and effective, and it may be used for the mass treatment of VL in India.
	PMID: 12955641 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
	MeSH Terms: Amphotericin B/therapeutic use*, Leishmaniasis, Visceral/drug therapy*, Liposomes/chemistry*, Treatment Outcome