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Lutje, Vittoria, Seixas, Jorge and Kennedy, Adrian (2010) 'Chemotherapy for second-stage Human African trypanosomiasis (Review)'. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 8, CD006201.
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Abstract
Background
Human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is a painful and protracted disease affecting people in the poorest parts of Africa and is fatal without treatment. Few drugs are currently available for second-stage sleeping sickness, with considerable adverse events and variable efficacy.
Objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of drugs for treating second-stage human African trypanosomiasis.
Search methods
We searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register (May 2010), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library Issue 3 2010) , MEDLINE (1966 to May 2010), EMBASE (1974 to May 2010), LILACS (1982 to May 2010 ), BIOSIS (1926-May 2010), mRCT (May 2010) and reference lists. We contacted researchers working in the field and organizations.
Selection criteria
Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.
Data collection and analysis
Two authors (VL and AK) extracted data and assessed methodological quality; a third author (JS) acted as an arbitrator. Included trials only reported dichotomous outcomes, and we present these as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Main results
Nine trials with 2577 participants, all with Trypansoma brucei gambiense HAT, were included. Seven trials tested currently available drugs: melarsoprol, eflornithine, nifurtimox, alone or in combination; one trial tested pentamidine, and one trial assessed the addition of prednisolone to melarsoprol. Fixed 10-day regimens of melarsoprol were found to be as effective as those of 26 days, with similar numbers of adverse events. Melarsoprol monotherapy gave fewer relapses than pentamidine or nifurtimox, but resulted in more adverse events.
Later trials evaluate nifurtimox combined with eflornithine (NECT), showing this gives few relapses and is well tolerated. It also has practical advantages in reducing the burden on health personnel and patients, when compared to eflornithine monotherapy.
Authors' conclusions
Choice of therapy for second stage Gambiense HAT will continue to be determined by what is locally available, but eflornithine and NECT are likely to replace melarsoprol, with careful parasite resistance monitoring. We need research on reducing adverse effects of currently used drugs, testing different regimens, and experimental and clinical studies of new compounds, effective for both stages of the disease.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This review is published as a Cochrane Review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 8, CD006201. Cochrane Reviews are regularly updated as new evidence emerges and in response to comments and criticisms, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews should be consulted for the most recent version of the Review. |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Human trypanosomiasis, sleeping sickness, neglected tropical diseases, systematic review, cochrane review |
| Subjects: | WB Practice of Medicine > Therapeutics > WB 330 Drug therapy WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 705 Trypanosomiasis |
| Faculty: Department: | Groups (2002 - 2012) > International Health Group |
| Digital Object Identifer (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006201.pub2 |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | Faye Moody |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Jun 2011 15:50 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Feb 2018 13:03 |
| URI: | https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/2046 |
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