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May 15, 2026Journal of the American College of Cardiology321 citationsOpen Access

Benznidazole and Posaconazole in Eliminating Parasites in Asymptomatic  T. Cruzi Carriers

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CMCarlos A. MorilloHWHetty WaskinSSSergio Sosa‐Estáni

Key Points

  • This study aims to assess if posaconazole, alone or with benznidazole, effectively eliminates T. cruzi in asymptomatic carriers.
  • Prospective, multicenter randomized placebo-controlled study of 120 subjects from Latin America and Spain.
  • Participants randomized into four groups: posaconazole, benznidazole + placebo, benznidazole + posaconazole, and placebo.
  • T. cruzi DNA detection via RT-PCR at multiple time points up to 360 days.
  • 80% of the benznidazole + posaconazole group achieved the primary outcome compared to 13.3% in the posaconazole group (p < 0.0001).
  • At 360 days, 96% in both the benznidazole monotherapy and combination therapy groups had negative RT-PCR, contrasting with 17% and 16% in placebo and posaconazole respectively (p < 0.0001).
  • Serious adverse events were rare, with 31.7% of patients discontinuing therapy due to side effects.

Abstract

Benznidazole and Posaconazole in Eliminating Parasites in Asymptomatic T. Cruzi Carriers: The STOP-CHAGAS Trial Artículo Open/ Download Benznidazole-and-Posaconazole.pdf (561.1Kb) Publication date 2017 Metadata Show full item record Cómo citar Morillo, Carlos A. Cómo citar Benznidazole and Posaconazole in Eliminating Parasites in Asymptomatic T. Cruzi Carriers: The STOP-CHAGAS Trial Formato de cita APA ISO 690-2 Chicago MLA Vancouver . Copiar Cerrar  Author Morillo, Carlos A. ; Waskin, Hetty ; Sosa Estani, Sergio ; Bangher, María del Carmen ; Cuneo, Carlos ; Milesi, Rodolfo ; Mallagray, Marcelo ; Apt Baruch, Werner ; Beloscar, Juan ; Gascon, Joaquim ; Molina, Israel ; Echeverría, Luis E. ; Colombo, Hugo ; Pérez Molina, José Antonio ; Wyss, Fernando ; Meeks, Brandi ; Bonilla, Laura R. ; Gao, Peggy ; Bo Wei, Bo ; McCarthy, Michael ; Yusuf, Salim ; Abstract BACKGROUND Benznidazole is recommended for treatment of Chagas infection. Effects of combination therapy with benznidazole and posaconazole have not been tested in Trypanosoma cruzi carriers. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine whether posaconazole alone or combined with benznidazole were superior to benznidazole monotherapy in eliminating T. cruzi parasites measured by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in asymptomatic Chagas carriers. METHODS A prospective, multicenter randomized placebo-controlled study was conducted in 120 subjects from Latin America and Spain who were randomized to 4 groups: posaconazole 400 mg twice a day (b.i.d.); benznidazole 200 mg + placebo b.i.d.; benznidazole 200 mg b.i.d. + posaconazole 400 mg b.i.d.; or placebo 10 mg b.i.d. T. cruzi deoxyribonucleic acid was detected by RT-PCR at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 360 days. The primary efficacy outcome is the proportion of subjects with persistent negative RT-PCR by day 180; the secondary outcome was negative RT-PCR at 360 days. RESULTS Only 13.3% of those receiving posaconazole and 10% receiving placebo achieved the primary outcome, compared with 80% receiving benznidazole + posaconazole and 86.7% receiving benznidazole monotherapy (p < 0.0001 vs. posaconazole/placebo). Posaconazole monotherapy or posaconazole combined with benznidazole achieved high RT-PCR conversion rates during treatment (30 days; 93.3% and 88.9% and 60 days; 90%, and 92.3%) that were similar to benznidazole (89.7% and 89.3%); all were superior to placebo or posaconazole (10% and 16.7%, p < 0.0001). This was not observed at 360 days; benznidazole + posaconazole and benznidazole monotherapy (both 96%) versus placebo (17%) and posaconazole (16%, p < 0.0001). Serious adverse events were rare (6 patients) and were observed in the benznidazole-treated patients. Permanent discontinuation was reported in 19 patients (31.7%) receiving either benznidazole monotherapy or combined with posaconazole. CONCLUSIONS Posaconazole demonstrated trypanostatic activity during treatment, but it is ineffective long-term in asymptomatic T. cruzi carriers. Benznidazole monotherapy is superior to posaconazole, with high RT-PCR conversion rates sustained at 1 year. Side effects lead to therapy discontinuation in 32%. No advantages were observed with combined therapy versus benznidazole monotherapy. (A Study of the Use of Oral Posaconazole POS in the Treatment of Asymptomatic Chronic Chagas Disease P05267 STOP CHAGAS: NCT01377480) (C) 2017 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation. Indexation Artículo de publicación SCOPUS Identifier URI: https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/160177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.12.023 ISSN: 15583597 07351097 Quote Item Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volumen 69, Issue 8, 2017 Collections Artículos de revistas

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Cite This Study

Morillo et al. (2017) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a06e507a006b3155ce94fa0https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2016.12.023
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