Back to search
Publication

Randomized control trial to evaluate the clinical and cytokine response profile to oral thalidomide in leprosy patients with erythema nodosum leprosum

Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Erythema nodosum leprosum is an acute inflammatory type III hypersentivity response during the chronic course of the disease process. This immune response manifests clinically as painful erythematous nodules and systemic symptoms similar to sepsis with neutrophilic leukocytosis. Capsule thalidomide is the drug of choice for treating erythema nodosum leprosum. A randomized control study into the immunological markers involved in the pathogenesis of erythema nododsum leprosum and its successful suppression by thalidomide should provide newer insight into the pathogenesis of this disease process, better diagnostic and therapeutic options and better markers to predict prognosis. Based on the previous studies our aim was to find a correlation with tumour necrosis factor-α, Interferon-γ and CDγ-64 expression on activated circulating neutrophils during Type II lepra reaction and the successful response to capsule thalidomide.

More information

Type
Journal Article
Author
Mitra B