@article{8710,
  keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Humans, Leprostatic Agents, leprosy, Male, Middle Aged, Recurrence, Time Factors, Young Adult},
  author = {Fajardo TT and Villahermosa L and Pardillo FE and Abalos R and Burgos J and Dela Cruz E and Gelber R},
  title = {A comparative clinical trial in multibacillary leprosy with long-term relapse rates of four different multidrug regimens.},
  abstract = {<p>As a participant in a multicenter trial, we evaluated the relapse rate in 189 multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients treated with four different regimens and followed-up for as many as 12 years after the initiation of treatment. Treatment regimens included 1 year of WHO MDT (a regimen including dapsone, clofazimine, and rifampin), 2 years of WHO MDT, 1 month of daily rifampin and daily ofloxacin, and 1 year of WHO MDT plus an initial 1 month of daily rifampin and daily ofloxacin. Relapse rates after 9 and 12 years from the initiation of therapy in the three regimens that included WHO MDT were 0-3%, whereas relapses occurred in those treated with the 1-month regimen alone at a significantly greater rate (P < 0.05): 11% at 9 years and 25% at 12 years. Relapses occurred late, beginning at 5 years after the initiation of therapy, and were confined to those patients histopathologically borderline lepromatous and polar lepromatous having a high bacterial burden. Prospects for an alternative effective short-course therapy of leprosy are presented.</p>},
  year = {2009},
  journal = {The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene},
  volume = {81},
  pages = {330-4},
  month = {2009 Aug},
  issn = {1476-1645},
  url = {A Comparative Clinical Trial in Multibacillary Leprosy },
  language = {eng},
}