Intravenous sodium stibogluconate may be effective treatment for Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis

Patients with Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis may benefit from a 10-day or 20-day regimen of treatment with intravenous sodium stibogluconate, according to study results presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s 58th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The results showed that the 10-day regimen was associated with clinical cure in 86% of patients with Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis; the 20-day regimen was associated with clinical cure in 91% of patients with Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Previous research has shown the benefits of treatment with intravenous sodium stibogluconate in patients with New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. But there was little data regarding this treatment in patients with Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis.

For this study, American military personnel with parasitologically-confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis were treated with intravenous sodium stibogluconate at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day. The treatment duration for 414 of the patients was 20 days; an additional cohort of 141 patients was given a 10-day course.

All patients in the study were seen daily during the treatment period. Follow-up continued for 24 months following the treatment period. Clinical cure was defined as the patient’s lesions being healed at six months, with no reactivation up to 24 months.

Ninety-six percent of patients on the 10-day regimen completed the treatment course; 85% of patients on the 20-day regimen did. All treatment discontinuation was attributed to adverse events. Reported adverse events included blood disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms, arthralgias and elevated lipase.