Abstract | BACKGROUND: The relentless emergence of dapsone resistance amongst M. leprae threatened leprosy control programmes, and increased the relapse rate of patients cured with dapsone monotherapy. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to analyse the effect on the relapse rate of dapsone-cured multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients, of re-treatment, using a multidrug therapy (MDT) regimen which differed from the WHO recommended regimen. DESIGN: 794 MB leprosy patients who had been released from treatment after dapsone monotherapy were selected, amongst them 657 were re-treated for 1 year using the modified multidrug therapy regimen (mMDT) including rifampicin, clofazimine and dapsone, and 137 patients were observed as control cases. RESULTS: The regimen was well tolerated with good compliance: 620 patients completed re-treatment with mild side effects and a low incidence of leprosy reactions. There was a statistically significant difference between the relapse rates of re-treated and control groups (chi squaredf = 57.44, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the relapses in the re-treated group were significantly more likely to be later than those in the control group (t = 25.62, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Re-treatment with this modified regimen is acceptable and can reduce the risk of early relapse in dapsone-cured patients. The problem of persisters causing late relapse is likely to remain.
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Authors | Zhichun Jing, Renbao Zhang, Doahai Zhou, Jiakeun Chen |
Journal | Leprosy review
(Lepr Rev)
Vol. 80
Issue 2
Pg. 170-6
(Jun 2009)
ISSN: 0305-7518 [Print] England |
PMID | 19743621
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
- Leprostatic Agents
- Dapsone
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Topics |
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
(adverse effects, therapeutic use)
- Dapsone
(adverse effects, therapeutic use)
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Leprostatic Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Leprosy
(drug therapy)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Patient Compliance
(statistics & numerical data)
- Recurrence
- Treatment Outcome
- Young Adult
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