A serological, parasitological and clinical evaluation of untreated Chagas disease patients and those treated with benznidazole before and thirteen years after intervention
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
108(7): 873-880, 1jan. 2013. tab, graf
Artículo
en Inglés
| LILACS
| ID: lil-696007
ABSTRACT
The etiological treatment of Chagas disease is recommended for all patients with acute or recent chronic infection, but controversies remain regarding the benefit of chemotherapy and interpretations of the parasitological cure after etiological treatment. This study compares the laboratory and clinical evaluations of Chagas disease patients who were diagnosed 13 years earlier. Fifty-eight Chagas disease patients (29 treated with benznidazole and 29 untreated) were matched at the time of treatment based on several variables. Conventional serology revealed the absence of seroconversion in all patients. However, lower serological titres were verified in the treated group, primarily among patients who had the indeterminate form of the disease. Haemoculture performed 13 years after the intervention was positive for 6.9% and 27.6% of the treated and untreated patients, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction tests were positive for 44.8% and 13.8% of the treated and untreated patients, respectively. Patients who presented with the indeterminate form of the disease at the beginning of the study exhibited less clinical progression (17.4%) compared with the untreated group (56.5%). Therefore, this global analysis revealed that etiological treatment with benznidazole may benefit patients with respect to the clinical progression of Chagas disease and the prognosis, particularly when administered to patients with the indeterminate form of the disease.
Texto completo:
Disponible
Índice:
LILACS (Américas)
Asunto principal:
Tripanocidas
/
Trypanosoma cruzi
/
Enfermedad de Chagas
/
Nitroimidazoles
Tipo de estudio:
Estudio observacional
/
Estudio pronóstico
Límite:
Adolescente
/
Adulto
/
Niño
/
Femenino
/
Humanos
/
Masculino
Idioma:
Inglés
Revista:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Asunto de la revista:
Medicina Tropical
/
Parasitología
Año:
2013
Tipo del documento:
Artículo
/
Documento de proyecto
País de afiliación:
Brasil
Institución/País de afiliación:
Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto/BR
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