Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40622934›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2025

Antitrypanosomal therapy for Chagas disease: A single center experience with adverse drug reactions and strategies for enhancing treatment completion.

Katherine Reifler, Alyse Wheelock, Samantha M Hall, Madolyn Dauphinais, Samuel Roytburd, Michael Maiullari, Alejandra Salazar, Ashley Maldonado, Helen Mahoney West, Julia R Köhler and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Katherine ReiflerSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.ORCID 0009-0001-2580-0675
Alyse WheelockSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Samantha M HallDepartment of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Madolyn DauphinaisSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Samuel RoytburdBoston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Michael MaiullariSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Alejandra SalazarSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Ashley MaldonadoDivision of Infectious Disease, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Helen Mahoney WestDivision of Infectious Disease, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Julia R KöhlerDivision of Infectious Disease, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Elizabeth D BarnettSection of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Deepa M GopalCardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Davidson H HamerSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Daniel L BourqueSection of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Funding

BU Clinical HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (BU-CHART)T32AI052074 · NIAID · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI Benjamin P. Linas · 2003 to 2026
$6.7M
NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI052074
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Anti-trypanosomal therapy is generally recommended for individuals under age 50 with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease to prevent disease progression. However, benznidazole and nifurtimox are associated with adverse drug reactions. We performed a retrospective review of treatment tolerability among patients with Chagas disease referred to Boston Medical Center from June 2016 to June 2024. There were 125 individuals evaluated, of whom 32 (25.6%) had contraindications to and 2 (1.6%) declined antiparasitic treatment. Ninety-one started therapy (83 with benznidazole, 8 with nifurtimox) with monitoring co-managed by infectious diseases physicians and pharmacists. Following benznidazole initiation, 70 (84.3%) had at least one adverse event, of which allergic (39/83, 47.0%), gastrointestinal (38/83, 45.8%), and neuropsychiatric (33/83, 39.8%) reactions were most common. Rash led to treatment discontinuation in 19 patients (22.9%) and met criteria for grade 3 severity in 13 (15.7%). Adjunctive therapies for rash included topical and systemic steroids and systemic antihistamines. Peripheral neuropathy led to treatment cessation for 13 patients (15.7%). Gastrointestinal adverse effects occurred in 38 patients (45.8%), were relatively mild, and managed with H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors. Thirty (36.1%) patients were unable to complete 60 days of benznidazole, of whom 15 switched to nifurtimox. Eight patients started with nifurtimox during a benznidazole shortage. Nifurtimox was more frequently associated with gastrointestinal side effects (21/23, 91.3%) compared to benznidazole. Ultimately, 83 patients (91.2%) received at least 30 days, and 68 patients (74.7%) completed at least 60 days of benznidazole or nifurtimox. Multiple strategies were used to prevent and alleviate adverse events; multi-disciplinary team management was essential. These findings underscore the support needed for individuals with Chagas disease to tolerate and complete therapy and highlight the need for safer and more effective options to facilitate access to treatment.

Indexed as

Chagas DiseaseDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsNifurtimoxNitroimidazolesTrypanocidal AgentsAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesYoung AdultbenzonidazoleNifurtimoxNitroimidazolesTrypanocidal Agents

Identifiers

PMID40622934
PMCPMC12233308

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.