A comparative study of systemic antimycotic drug conventional and liposomal Amphotericin B in mucormycosis and its effects in post COVID patients

ABSTRACT

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals. We have observed sudden rise of mucormycosis cases in post COVID 19 patients. Here we have reported 600 cases of mucormycosis associated with COVID 19.Liposomal amphotericin B was compared with conventional amphotericin B for antifungal therapy in mucormycosis, double-blind, multicentre trial.The two drugs were equivalent in overall efficacy. However, the liposomal amphotericin B treatment group had fewer proven fungal infections, fewer infusion-related side effects and less nephrotoxicity. Patient data from that study were analysed to compare the pharmacoeconomics of liposomal versus conventional amphotericin B therapy.Data from 600 patients were collected and analysed. Hospital costs from first dose were significantly higher for all patients who received liposomal amphotericin B. The mean duration of therapy was 10.8 days for liposomal amphotericin B (300 patients) and 10.3 days for conventional amphotericin B (300 patients). The composite rates of successful treatment were similar (50 percent for liposomal amphotericin B and 49 percent for conventional amphotericin B. The outcomes were similar with liposomal amphotericin B and conventional amphotericin B with respect to survival (93 percent and 90 percent, respectively. With the liposomal preparation significantly, fewer patients had infusion-related fever (17 percent vs. 46 percent), chills or rigors (18 percent vs. 55 percent), and other reactions, including hypotension, hypertension, and hypoxia. Nephrotoxic effects (defined by a serum creatinine level two times the upper limit of normal) were significantly less frequent among patients treated with liposomal amphotericin B (18 percent) than among those treated with conventional amphotericin B (37 percent, p<0.001). Copyright © 2022 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.