Background: Study was done to assess the outcome of pharmacotherapy in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients in a specialty public hospital in Kolkata.

Materials & Methods: The hospital records of all consecutive VL patients admitted at Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine (CSTM), Kolkata during the last five years - 2010-2014, were reviewed and the relevant information inputs as documented studied to realize the noted objectives. Clinical presentation on admission including presence of co-infections (particularly HIV), trends and patterns of treatment regimens and rationale thereof, if available; treatment (anti-leishmaniasis) outcomes in reference to efficacy, safety and tolerability, fatality like serious complications and mortality and adverse drug reactions (for anti-leishmaninal drugs primarily), if any was noted.

Results: Commonest age group was from 18 to 45 years. Mean age was 30.02 ± 15.88 years and the range was 2 to 75 years. Fever was the presenting symptom of 85.4% of VL cases. In 2010 maximum (46.67%) cases got the combination regime of L-AmB and miltefosine followed by 26.67% L-AmB and 20% AmB.

Conclusion: VL was treated with conventional and liposomal AmB as well as with SSG, miltefosine and combination therapy. Among the regimens short course L-AmB was found to be the most efficacious and tolerable in respect to ADRs and hospital stay. ADRs were common with SSG, AmB, Miltefosine and almost absent with L-AmB. 

Keywords: Kala-azar, Visceral leishmaniasis, Anti-leishmaninal drugs, Liposomal AmB, Sodium Stibogluconate, Miltefosine, ADRs

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Dr Parvin Banu

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