[Comparative study between sodium stibogluconate BP 88 and meglumine antimoniate in cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment. II. Biochemical and cardiac toxicity].

Toxicity of two antimonial pentavalents were evaluated in 111 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Forty-seven patients received meglumine antimoniate (Group I) and 64 patients, sodium stibogluconate BP 88 (Group II), 20 mg Sbv/kg/day for 20 days. Evaluation of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, amilase, creatinine, urea, urine analysis and electrocardiogram were performed at baseline, on the tenth and twentieth day of treatment. Greater frequency of aminotransferase abnormal levels were observed on the tenth and twentieth days in group II (p < 0.001) and a greater proportion of amilase abnormal levels at the tenth day in the same group (p < 0.001). There was a greater variation of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase and amilase in the first ten days of treatment in group II (p < 0.01). On the twentieth day there was a greater variation of aminotransferase levels in group II (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). Forty-three percent of group I and 54% of group II showed electrocardiographic abnormalities (p = 0.30).