01556nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001200059653003000071653001100101653001000112653001200122653002200134653001500156653001300171653001700184653001700201653002200218100001600240700001200256245010100268300001000369490000700379050003200386520083400418022001401252       1991                            d  c1991 Jan-Mar10aDapsone10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aHumans10aIndia10aleprosy10aPeripheral nerves10aRecurrence10aRifampin10aRisk Factors10aTime Factors10aTreatment Outcome1 aEKAMBARAM V1 aRao M K00aRelapse rate in paucibacillary leprosy patients after multidrug therapy in North Arcot District.  a34-420 v63  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>Surveillance data from 14,227 paucibacillary (PB) patients who had been released from treatment one year earlier, after completing multidrug therapy (PB regimen) for 6 to 12 months, were analysed to assess relapse rates and the influence of three variables, viz., number of lesions, nerve involvement and duration of treatment. The overall relapse rate at one year of surveillance was acceptably low at 0.34%. Relapse rates were about four times higher when there were many (4-9) lesions, or, when nerve was involved (0.80% cf 0.20%). Extending the duration of treatment beyond 6 months did not reduce the relapse rates significantly in the high risk groups. Detection of PB cases early, before these risk factors become operative, and treating them with MDT would appear to be the best strategy to minimize relapse rates.</p>  a0254-9395