A thirty day course of sodium stibogluconate for treatment of Kala-azar in Nepal
Karki, P.; Koirala, S.; Parija, S.C.; Hansdak, S.G.; Das, M.L.
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 29(1): 154-158
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 9740292 Document Number: 490399
Twenty-seven cases of Kala-azar were treated with sodium stibogluconate at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 20 days (group A) and an equal number of cases were treated with the same dose but for a longer duration of 30 days (group B). Clinical and laboratory evaluation of these cases were carried out before and after therapy, during a follow up of cases every month, upto 6 months. Renal and liver function tests and electrocardiography were carried out of monitor any toxic effect of the drug during therapy. The cure rates of patients were 77.78% and 92.59% in group A and B cases respectively. Six and two patients in group A and B respectively were unresponsive to the treatment and showed relapse. Results of the study show that treatment of cases of Kala-azar with sodium stibogluconate in a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day for a longer period of 30 days is effective with a higher cure rate and minimum side effects, for treatment of cases of Kala-azar in this eastern part of Nepal, endemic for the disease.