A longitudinal analysis of the effect of mass drug administration on acute inflammatory episodes and disease progression in lymphedema patients in Leogane, Haiti

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 Jan;90(1):80-8. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0317. Epub 2013 Nov 11.

Abstract

We conducted a longitudinal analysis of 117 lymphedema patients in a filariasis-endemic area of Haiti during 1995-2008. No difference in lymphedema progression between those who received or did not receive mass drug administration (MDA) was found on measures of foot (P = 0.24), ankle (P = 0.87), or leg (P = 0.46) circumference; leg volume displacement (P = 0.09), lymphedema stage (P = 0.93), or frequency of adenolymphangitis (ADL) episodes (P = 0.57). Rates of ADL per year were greater after initiation of MDA among both groups (P < 0.01). Nevertheless, patients who received MDA reported improvement in four areas of lymphedema-related quality of life (P ≤ 0.01). Decreases in foot and ankle circumference and ADL episodes were observed during the 1995-1998 lymphedema management study (P ≤ 0.01). This study represents the first longitudinal, quantitative, leg-specific analysis examining the clinical effect of diethylcarbamazine on lymphedema progression and ADL episodes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Albendazole / administration & dosage
  • Albendazole / therapeutic use*
  • Anthelmintics / administration & dosage
  • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Diethylcarbamazine / administration & dosage
  • Diethylcarbamazine / therapeutic use*
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / drug therapy*
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / epidemiology
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / pathology
  • Female
  • Haiti / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / pathology*
  • Ivermectin / administration & dosage
  • Ivermectin / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Ivermectin
  • Albendazole
  • Diethylcarbamazine