Kala-azar combination drugs effective,safer,says study

Researchers compared standard treatment of amphotericin-b infusion with the three drug combinations in two hospital sites in Bihar. In the study conducted between June 2008 and July 2009 about 630 patients aged 560 years with parasitologically confirmed visceral leishmaniasis were enrolled. They were randomly assigned one of the four treatments by the trial statistician by use of a computer-generated list. Clinical assessments were done at the end of treatment.

It was found that all combinations were non-inferior to the standard treatment. Also,the patients in the combination groups had fewer adverse events than did those assigned standard treatment, says the study.

Overall,there were more male than female participants and more adults than children in the study. Compared to the standard treatment,the researchers also found that all three combination treatments were less toxic and better tolerated than was the standard treatment with amphotericin-b.

According to Dr A C Dhariwal,Director,National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme NVBDCP,they are happy with the treatment which is given now. However these are just observations. The standard treatment is oral and easy to be administered, he said.