@article{8136,
  keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Dapsone, Female, Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Hemoglobins, Hemolysis, Humans, leprosy, Male, Middle Aged, Retrospective Studies},
  author = {Byrd S R and Gelber R H},
  title = {Effect of dapsone on haemoglobin concentration in patients with leprosy.},
  abstract = {<p>Haemolysis and frank anaemia from dapsone therapy of leprosy has been long recognized. However, the frequency and severity of this side-effect have not been well documented. We report herein a retrospective analysis of the effect of daily dapsone (generally 100 mg/day) on the haemoglobin concentration of 100 leprosy patients undergoing initial chemotherapy. The average haemoglobin was found to fall significantly by almost 2 g/dl, from 14.25 +/- 1.27 g/dl to a nadir of 12.31 +/- 1.61 (P less than 0.001). Eighty-three percent of patients had a fall of haemoglobin concentration of 1 g/dl or more, while in 16% of patients the haemoglobin fell greater than or equal to 3 g/dl. Increasing age was found associated with an increased magnitude of dapsone-related haemolysis (P less than or equal to 0.004). Decreasing the daily dose of dapsone was associated with an increased haemoglobin concentration (P less than 0.001%). We have concluded that dapsone commonly results in not only haemolysis but a significant decrease in haemoglobin concentration. This may have serious clinical implications, especially in endemic areas, where, owing to nutrition, malaria, and intestinal parasitism, the haemoglobin concentration is already compromised.</p>},
  year = {1991},
  journal = {Leprosy review},
  volume = {62},
  pages = {171-8},
  month = {1991 Jun},
  issn = {0305-7518},
  url = {http://leprev.ilsl.br/pdfs/1991/v62n2/pdf/v62n2a08.pdf},
  doi = {10.5935/0305-7518.19910020},
  language = {eng},
}