Treatment of Old World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis by Pentamidine Isethionate

Vol. 200, No. 2, 2000

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Pharmacology and Treatment

Treatment of Old World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis by Pentamidine Isethionate
An Open Study of 11 Patients
Isabelle Hellier^a, Olivier Dereure^a, Isabelle Tournillac^c, Francine Pratlong^b, Bernard Guillot^c, Jean-Pierre Dedet^b, Jean-Jacques Guilhou^a

^aDepartment of Dermatology-Phlebology and
^bLaboratory of Parasitology, CHRU Montpellier, and
^cDepartment of Dermatology, CHRU Nîmes, France

Address of Corresponding Author

Dermatology 2000;200:120-123 (DOI: 10.1159/000018343)

Key Words

Leishmaniasis
Isethionate pentamidine

Abstract

Background: Pentavalent antimonial derivatives (PAD), especially meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime^®), are usually considered as the first-line drugs for Old World leishmaniasis, but their potential toxicity and the number of required injection, either intralesional or intramuscular, prompt to search for alternative treatments. Objective: To evaluate the efficiency and tolerance of pentamidine isethionate in Old World leishmaniasis. Methods: An open pilot study included 11 patients from two regional academic centers, with varied parasitological forms of Old World leishmaniasis, treated with three strictly intramuscular injections of 4 mg/kg of base-pentamidine every other day. Results: Tolerance was good overal, and 8/11 (73%) of patients responded well with a quick healing of their lesions, little scarring and no relapse. Conclusion: Pentamidine isethionate is a safe and effective first-line treatment for Old World leishmaniasis. Larger-scale prospective studies comparing several dosage regimens of pentamidine and pentamidine isethionate to PAD are warranted.

Author Contacts

O. Dereure
Department of Dermatology-Phlebology, Hôpital Saint-Eloi
2, avenue B.-Sans, F-34295 Montpellier Cedex 5 (France)
Tel. +33 467 33 69 06, Fax +33 467 54 23 80
E-Mail ofdereure@wanadoo.fr

Article Information

Received: Received: September 20, 1999
Accepted: October 21, 1999
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 8

Medline Abstract (ID 10773699)

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