This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of colchicine as an adjuvant to prednisolone in the management of severe ENL. The study included adult multibacillary leprosy cases with severe ENL (ENLIST ENL severity score ≥9) from December 2021 to December 2023. The patients were randomized into two treatment groups; Group I patients received prednisolone, and group II patients received colchicine as an adjuvant along with prednisolone. A total of 41 patients were recruited out of which 20 patients completed the study with 12 patients in group I (control group) and 8 in group II (intervention group). The mean duration to achieve ENLIST score 0 was 3.5 weeks in the intervention group and 4 weeks in the control group (p value= 0.181). The mean duration of prednisolone treatment was 25.5 weeks in the control group, and 32 weeks in the intervention group (p value=0.020). The mean cumulative prednisolone dose was 4513.08 ± 2013.89 in the control group and higher in the intervention group (5105.63 ± 1710.75) (p value> 0.05). The mean number of ENL flareups was higher in the control group (2) compared to the intervention group (1) during the study period (p value= 0.792). Few patients had steroid related adverse effect while colchicine was well tolerated in the intervention group.The conclusions from this study have limitation as a large number of patients (n=21/41) were withdrawn from the study due to inadequate control with the treatment regimen in both the groups resulting in smaller sample size. It is concluded that colchicine is not an effective adjuvant to prednisolone in the management of severe ENL. It might have a role in preventing the recurrent episodes in ENL, however, this needs further evaluation.
BT - Indian Journal of Leprosy DA - 12/2025 LA - ENG M3 - Article N2 -This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of colchicine as an adjuvant to prednisolone in the management of severe ENL. The study included adult multibacillary leprosy cases with severe ENL (ENLIST ENL severity score ≥9) from December 2021 to December 2023. The patients were randomized into two treatment groups; Group I patients received prednisolone, and group II patients received colchicine as an adjuvant along with prednisolone. A total of 41 patients were recruited out of which 20 patients completed the study with 12 patients in group I (control group) and 8 in group II (intervention group). The mean duration to achieve ENLIST score 0 was 3.5 weeks in the intervention group and 4 weeks in the control group (p value= 0.181). The mean duration of prednisolone treatment was 25.5 weeks in the control group, and 32 weeks in the intervention group (p value=0.020). The mean cumulative prednisolone dose was 4513.08 ± 2013.89 in the control group and higher in the intervention group (5105.63 ± 1710.75) (p value> 0.05). The mean number of ENL flareups was higher in the control group (2) compared to the intervention group (1) during the study period (p value= 0.792). Few patients had steroid related adverse effect while colchicine was well tolerated in the intervention group.The conclusions from this study have limitation as a large number of patients (n=21/41) were withdrawn from the study due to inadequate control with the treatment regimen in both the groups resulting in smaller sample size. It is concluded that colchicine is not an effective adjuvant to prednisolone in the management of severe ENL. It might have a role in preventing the recurrent episodes in ENL, however, this needs further evaluation.
PB - All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh PY - 2025 SP - 375 EP - 382 T2 - Indian Journal of Leprosy TI - Colchicine has a Minimal Role as an Adjuvant to Prednisolone in the Treatment of Severe Erythema Nodosum Leprosum in Multibacillary Leprosy UR - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Namrata-Chhabra/publication/399218931_Chhabra_N_Reddy_PSM_Choudhary_R_et_al_2025_Colchicine_has_a_Minimal_Role_as_an_Adjuvant_to_Prednisolone_in_the_Treatment_of_Severe_Erythema_Nodosum_Leprosum_in_Multibacillary_Lepro ER -