02116nas a2200373   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653003000065653001100095653002200106653001100128653002300139653001200162653000900174653001600183653002500199653001700224653002500241653003000266100001900296700001300315700001700328700001100345700001600356700001300372245007300385856005100458300001000509490000700519050003200526520117000558022001401728       2008                            d  c2008 Sep10aAdult10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aFemale10aFollow-Up Studies10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMycobacterium leprae10aRisk Factors10aSecondary Prevention10aWorld Health Organization1 aPoojabylaiah M1 aMarne RB1 aVarikkodan R1 aBala N1 aDandakeri S1 aMartis J00aRelapses in multibacillary leprosy patients after multidrug therapy.  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/article/79/3/32-0324  a320-40 v79  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>To determine the magnitude of relapses in multibacillary leprosy patients after multi-drug therapy and to determine the factors influencing the relapse.</p><p><b>DESIGN: </b>A retrospective study pertaining to multibacillary leprosy patients treated with MBMDT as per WHO guidelines was carried out. The study included 300 MB patients who had successfully completed treatment during 1986-2002, of whom 163 patients were available for follow-up. Patients were examined clinically and bacteriologically to asses the present status of disease.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>A total of three cases relapsed at 2, 4 and 11 years after being released from treatment which gives a crude cumulative relapse rate of 1.84% for the 18 year period of follow-up with mean duration of follow-up 7.13 +/- 1.25 years. It also gives the total follow-up period of 1163 person-years with the relapse rate of 0.26/100 person-years of follow-up (95% confidence interval is 0.235-0.285).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>Relapse rate after WHO recommended MDT leprosy is low. High bacterial load before initiation of therapy is an important factor which determines the relapse.</p>  a0305-7518