02727nas a2200481   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001500059653001000074653000900084653001900093653001000112653001600122653001900138653003700157653003300194653003000227653001100257653002200268653002400290653001100314653002500325653002300350653001200373653000900385653001600394653002000410653003000430653000900460653002200469653003000491100001700521700001100538700001900549700001800568700001300586245008000599856011400679300001000793490000700803520142100810022001402231       2005                            d  c2005 Jul-Aug10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aBiopsy, Needle10aChild10aClofazimine10aCohort Studies10aDose-Response Relationship, Drug10aDrug Administration Schedule10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aFemale10aFollow-Up Studies10aGuidelines as Topic10aHumans10aImmunohistochemistry10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aRisk Assessment10aSeverity of Illness Index10aSkin10aTreatment Outcome10aWorld Health Organization1 aPrasad P V S1 aBabu A1 aKaviarasan P K1 aViswanathan P1 aTippoo R00aMDT-MB therapy in paucibacillary leprosy: a clinicopathological assessment.  uhttp://www.ijdvl.com/article.asp?issn=0378-6323;year=2005;volume=71;issue=4;spage=242;epage=245;aulast=Prasad  a242-50 v713 a<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>The World Health Organization recommends treatment regimens for paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) leprosy, which differ in their duration and components. Hence accurate classification of the disease is required. To overcome difficulties in classification Uniform Multi Drug Therapy (U-MDT) has been recommended.</p><p><b>AIM: </b>To evaluate the benefit of adding clofazimine to paucibacillary regimens in leprosy patients by measuring clinical and histological resolution.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Forty-four paucibacillary patients were included in the study. Twenty-two patients were given MDT-PB regimen and the remaining MDT-MB regimen for six months . Skin biopsies were done before the commencement and at the end of treatment. Clinical and histological resolutions were measured according to the standard criteria a laid down. The results were analyzed using Fishers' test and Crammers' V test.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Clinical improvement was observed in 90.9% in the MB group as compared to 27.3% in the PB group. Regression in the nerve swelling was observed in 70% in the MB group and in 37.5% in the PB group while histological resolution was observed in 72.8% and 54.5% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>Addition of clofazimine helps to resolve leprosy lesions both clinically and histologically, thus justifying the concept of Uniform MDT regimen for all patients.</p>  a0378-6323