Plaquenil vs chloroquine diphosphate review

In comparison, only 2 0. Historical studies have linked toxic retinopathy to the daily dosage of HCQ with a cut-off of 6. Even if retinal toxicity from HCQ is rare, its potential permanence and severity make it imperative that physicians take measures to minimize its occurrence and effects. The goal is to detect premaculopathy in order to stop the treatment before the occurrence of irreversible damage.

It is now recommended that all individuals starting HCQ or CQ have a complete baseline ophthalmologic screening within the first year of treatment. This should include both a complete ophthalmologic examination visual acuity and dilated examination of the cornea and retina , and a central field testing with Humphrey fields.

Whenever it is possible, it is recommended that at least one of the following procedures be also used for routine screening: multifocal electroretinogram mfERG , spectral domain optical coherence tomography SD-OCT and fundus autofluorescence FAF. Amsler grid and color testing are no longer recommended.


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Thereafter, annual screening should begin after 5 years of treatment or sooner if there are unusual risk factors. Cardiotoxicity includes both heart conduction disturbances and congestive heart failure. Duration of antimalarial use varied widely, ranging from 3 months to 27 years mean: 10 years with a similarly wide range of cumulative doses of antimalarial drugs 0. It should be noted that these manifestations might have been under-diagnosed since they were not systematically assessed.

Clinical and echocardiographic presentations often included a restrictive pattern and biventricular hypertrophy that can mimic amyloidosis. Only 2 of these 45 patients had been treated with HCQ only. Histological findings are essential to confirm the diagnosis and to exclude differential diagnoses, such as lupus-related myocarditis, viral myocarditis, and ischemic heart disease.

Light microscopy discloses enlarged and vacuolated cardiocytes, whereas electron microscopy shows the presence of curvilinear bodies in cardiac myocytes. After withdrawal of antimalarials, improvement of myocardial involvement has been more frequently reported than regression of heart conduction disorders. By contrast with what is proposed for ophthalmologic assessment, there is no recommendation concerning electrocardiographic screening and survey of patients with prolonged treatment with antimalarials [ 92 Physician's Desk Reference. Click here to see the Library ]. Antimalarials can cause a marked neuromyopathy, characterized by slowly progressive weakness of insidious onset.

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This adverse effect is rare. This weakness usually affects the proximal muscles of the legs first and may be associated with peripheral neuropathy. Reflexes are usually diminished symmetrically. Creatinine kinase levels are often normal. Electromyogram shows both neuropathic and myopathic changes. Muscle biopsy reveals a vacuolar myopathy including curvilinear bodies and type 1 and type 2 muscle fiber atrophy. These histological findings are very similar to those found in cardiac toxicity. Other manifestations of antimalarial toxicity may be associated. Common gastrointestinal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Other symptoms including anorexia, heartburn, abdominal distension, and elevated transaminases are rare. Gastrointestinal manifestations are generally seen during the first weeks of treatment. They are associated with a higher dosage of HCQ and generally resolve with time, either by decreasing the dosage or by administering HCQ twice a day, during meals.

Skin pigmentation predominated on the anterior side of the shins pretibial , and appeared after a median HCQ treatment duration of 6. Skin biopsies confirmed the very high concentration of iron in biopsy specimens of pigmented lesions. Treatment with HCQ was discontinued definitively because of skin pigmentation in 2 patients who reported a gradual incomplete fading of hyperpigmentation.

Pigmentation remained stable in the other patients. Pigmentary changes due to antimalarials have also been reported in the face, hard palate, forearms, nail bed with transversal bands or diffuse pigmentation , and in deeper structures such as joint tissue, trachea, and cartilage of the nose and ears. Apart from pigmentation, antimalarials, mainly CQ, may also give rise to hypopigmentation. Vitiligo has been reported to occur in African patients with dark skin. This hypochromia generally disappears within a few months after interruption of the drug.

Jimenez-Alonso et al. They observed that Six patients were classified as having probable or definite pruritus related to antimalarials. They all had an aquagenic or postwetness type of generalized pruritus which started 1 to 3 weeks after initiation of antimalarials.

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Some of these manifestations appear in the first days or weeks of treatment, and are indicative of hypersensitivity rash, which is considered a contra-indication to further use of these treatments. The frequency of this side effect is difficult to evaluate and is, in our experience, extremely rare in patients treated with HCQ. There is some concern that antimalarials could cause hemolysis in patients with glucosephosphate dehydrogenase G6PD deficiency.

CU Professor weighs in on malaria drug that may help treat coronavirus

Not all of these contra-indications are supported by facts. First, cases of antimalarial drug-induced PCT or porphyria unmasked by antimalarials have been reported. In patients with coexisting PCT and SLE, it is usually recommended to initiate antimalarials cautiously either at a very low dosage to prevent an acute exacerbation i. There is a great interindividual variability in blood HCQ concentrations, leading to the question of the relationship between concentrations and efficacy, and raising the need for individualized dosing in order to obtain HCQ concentrations associated with optimal outcomes.

In our experience, regular drug assays available within a few days in our center , help physicians detect non-adherence and can serve as the basis for counselling and supporting patients with poor adherence to therapeutic regimens. When initiating a treatment with HCQ, it is important to keep in mind that HCQ is characterized by a long delay in the onset of action because of its long half-life. Thus, when prescribing these drugs, the physician should explain to the patient that efficacy might take 2 to 8 weeks to be achieved. Children are especially sensitive to the 4-aminoquinoline compounds, with a number of fatalities reported following accidental ingestion of only a few tablets of CQ.

Are dangerous? As a consequence, patients should be strongly warned to keep these drugs out of children's reach. We believe that the management of SLE patients could be easily improved with a more systematic use of this old and inexpensive treatment. Previous Article Which dose of steroids and which cytotoxics for severe lupus? Pamela M. Lutalo, Natasha Jordan, David P. Journal page Archives Sommaire. Article Article Outline. Access to the text HTML.

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    Search Menu. Article Navigation. Close mobile search navigation Article Navigation. Volume Article Contents Abstract. Materials and methods. Note added during revision. Hydroxychloroquine is much less active than chloroquine against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum , in agreement with its physicochemical properties David C. Oxford Academic. Google Scholar. Jonathan C. Ipemida S. John C. Christopher Cullander. Cite Cite David C.

    Select Format Select format. Permissions Icon Permissions. Abstract The 4-aminoquinoline drug hydroxychloroquine HCQ is reported to be as active as chloroquine CQ against falciparum malaria, and less toxic. Keywords: hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, amodiaquine, drug-resistance, enantiospecificity.

    Open in new tab Download slide. Figure 1.

    How should this medicine be used?

    Structures of the 4-aminoquinoline drugs mentioned in the text. Table 1.

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    Open in new tab. Table 2. Bradley, D.