Randomized Trial of Benznidazole for Chronic Chagas’ Cardiomyopathy

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 2854 patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy, no clinical benefit was found with 2 to 3 months of benznidazole therapy during 5 years of followup. Chagas’ disease is the third most common parasitic disease globally, after malaria and schistosomiasis. 1 Chagas’ cardiomyopathy is the most common form of nonischemic cardiomyopathy and one of the leading causes of complications and death in Latin America. 2 An estimated 6 million to 7 million persons are infected, and 36,800 new cases occur each year. Chagas’ cardiomyopathy develops in approximately 25% of patients infected with Trypanosoma cruzi . 3 – 5 Chagas’ disease has two phases: acute and chronic. Acute infection is usually a self-limited febrile illness. 6 In the chronic phase, cardiac or digestive complications develop in approximately one third of patients two . . .