Related Experiment Videos
Ivermectin detection in serum of onchocerciasis patients: relationship to adverse reactions
F L Njoo1, W M Beek, H J Keukens
1Department of Ophthalmo-Immunology, The Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute, Amsterdam.
Abstract:
Ivermectin treatment of onchocerciasis patients can be accompanied by adverse reactions. Not much is known concerning the pathogenesis of these reactions. Previous studies have demonstrated that the occurrence and extent of adverse reactions are related to infection intensity. However, some severely infected patients experience relatively few adverse effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether this seeming discrepancy could be due to diminished ivermectin absorption. Ivermectin concentrations one and two days after treatment were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in sera of 71 skin snip-positive onchocerciasis patients (21 without reactions, 25 with mild reactions, 14 with moderate reactions, and 11 with severe reactions). The overall mean +/- SD ivermectin concentrations one and two days after a single oral dose (150 micrograms/kg) were 16.4 +/- 6.4 and 6.6 +/- 3.1 ng/ml, respectively. The overall mean +/- SD half-life was estimated to be 19.9 +/- 8.6 hr. The data presented did not show a relationship between ivermectin concentrations and the grade of adverse reactions.
Insights
Ivermectin adverse reactions in onchocerciasis patients are not fully understood. This study found no link between ivermectin levels in the blood and the severity of these reactions.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Tropical Medicine
- Clinical Parasitology
Background:
- Ivermectin is a key treatment for onchocerciasis.
- Adverse reactions to ivermectin can occur, but their pathogenesis is unclear.
- Previous research suggests a correlation between infection intensity and reaction severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if diminished ivermectin absorption explains why some severely infected onchocerciasis patients have fewer adverse reactions.
- To analyze the relationship between ivermectin serum concentrations and the grade of adverse reactions.
Main Methods:
- Serum ivermectin concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography.
- 71 onchocerciasis patients with varying reaction severities were analyzed.
- Ivermectin levels were assessed one and two days post-treatment.
Main Results:
- The study measured ivermectin concentrations and half-life in treated patients.
- No significant relationship was found between ivermectin serum concentrations and the grade of adverse reactions.
- This suggests that absorption is not the primary factor influencing ivermectin's side effects in onchocerciasis.
Conclusions:
- The pathogenesis of ivermectin-associated adverse reactions in onchocerciasis remains to be elucidated.
- Diminished ivermectin absorption does not appear to explain the variability in adverse reaction severity.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind ivermectin's side effects.