Treatment of chronic Chagas disease in a non-endemic area

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to evaluate the treatment of Chagas disease in its chronic stage, considering the limited evidence and its adverse effects. A descriptive, longitudinal, and retrospective study was conducted based on the review of medical records of patients treated between 2012 and 2020. Variables such as age, sex, cardiomyopathy, drug and dosage used for treatment, adverse effects, treatment completion rate, and post-treatment follow-up of cardiopathy and serological titers were evaluated.

A total of 98 patients were included, 73% of whom were women, with an average age of 36 years. The drug primarily used was benznidazole. Adverse effects were observed in 54% of the patients, leading to the discontinuation of treatment in 25.5% of the cases, with rash being the most frequent cause. Reducing the maximum dose of benznidazole showed a decrease in neuropathy as an adverse event, which appeared after 30 days when treatment can be considered completed, but not in the rash, which appeared early. During the post-treatment follow-up, only 1.5% of the patients showed progression of cardiopathy, and there was a tendency for serological titers to decrease 7 to 10 years after treatment completion.