Inflammation and hemostasis in loiasis before and after ivermectin treatment: A biological pilot cross-sectional study

by Tristan M. Lepage, Narcisse Nzune-Toche, Lucie A. Nkwengoua, Hugues C. Nana-Djeunga, Sebastien D. S. Pion, Joseph Kamgno, Charlotte Boullé, Jérémy T. Campillo, Michel Boussinesq, Claude T. Tayou, Cédric B. Chesnais

We assessed the impact of loiasis and its treatment with ivermectin on hemostasis and inflammation in 38 adults in Cameroon. Participants were divided into four balanced groups based on their Loa loa microfilarial densities. At baseline, eosinophils and platelets increased with microfilarial densities (p<0.001 and p = 0.044, respectively). At day 4 following ivermectin administration, median eosinophils rose from 171/μL to 1,095/μL (p<0.001) and median D-dimers increased from 582 ng/mL to 745 ng/mL (p = 0.024) with a median relative variation of +34.7%. C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and alpha-1-globulin also increased significantly after treatment. Ivermectin treatment appeared to induce inflammation, coagulation activation and fibrinolysis.