These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Combination of eflornithine and melarsoprol for melarsoprol-resistant Gambian trypanosomiasis.
    Author: Mpia B, Pépin J.
    Journal: Trop Med Int Health; 2002 Sep; 7(9):775-9. PubMed ID: 12225509.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a combination of eflornithine and melarsoprol among relapsing cases of Gambian trypanosomiasis. METHODS: Forty-two late-stage Trypanosoma brucei gambiense trypanosomiasis patients relapsing after initial treatment with melarsoprol were treated with a sequential combination of intravenous eflornithine (100 mg/kg every 6 h for 4 days) followed by three daily injections of melarsoprol (3.6 mg/kg, up to 180 mg). They were then followed-up for 24 months. RESULTS: Two (4.8%) patients died during treatment. Of the 40 surviving patients, two had a treatment failure, 13 and 19 months after having received the combination therapy. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 2-year probability of cure was 93.3% (95% confidence interval: 84.3-100%). CONCLUSION: This sequential combination has an efficacy and a toxicity similar to a 7-day course of eflornithine monotherapy, but is easier to administer. Whether such therapeutic success corresponds tosynergism between eflornithine and melarsoprol, or merely means that 4 days of eflornithine monotherapy suffices for such patients, will need to be determined in a comparative trial.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]