01991nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653001000089653001200099653003000111653001100141653001100152653001200163653002400175653002500199653000900224653001600233653001300249653001700262100001300279700001300292700001200305245005000317856004100367300001100408490000700419520120100426022001401627       1991                            d  c1991 Jun10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aChild10aDapsone10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aLeprosy, Borderline10aLeprosy, Tuberculoid10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aRifampin10aTime Factors1 aMathai R1 aGeorge S1 aJacob M00aFixed duration MDT in paucibacillary leprosy.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v59n2a03.pdf  a237-410 v593 a<p>The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a fixed duration of multidrug therapy (MDT) for paucibacillary leprosy which is currently widely implemented in India. A clinico-pathological study was initiated in 1984 to assess the efficacy of this regimen. The clinical and histological responses of the patients to MDT were assessed at the end of 6 months, when their treatment was stopped, and at 2 1/2 years, when they were released from surveillance, and compared with the responses of a matched patient group to conventional dapsone (DDS) monotherapy during the same period. Of 28 patients who completed the MDT schedule, there was less than 60% improvement in 33% of them when treatment was stopped at the end of 6 months and in 20% of them at the end of 2 1/2 years. Of 26 patients receiving DDS monotherapy, 37% showed less than 60% improvement at the end of 6 months but only 8.8% had less than 60% improvement at 2 1/2 years. It is concluded that MDT for paucibacillary leprosy as recommended by WHO may not have a major advantage over DDS monotherapy, since about 20% of those patients on MDT continue to have evidence of active disease when discharged from surveillance.</p>
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