Objectives: To study the scenarios warranting modified treatment regimens in leprosy.
Materials and Methods: A 5-year retrospective study was carried out in a tertiary care center by analyzing the data collected from national leprosy eradication program (NLEP) records.
Results: During the 5-year study period, 171 patients received treatment for leprosy from our center. Thirtyone patients (31/171, 18.1%) required substitution of standard multidrug therapy (MDT) with alternate drugs or required alternate treatment regimens. The patients who required modified treatment included 18 men (18/31, 58.1%) and 13 women (41.9%). Male/female ratio was 1.4:1. Indications for treatment modification were adverse drug reactions to standard MDT (ADR) (21/31, 67.7%) and lack of response to standard MDT (10/31, 32.3%). The most common scenario that warranted a modification of standard MDT was dapsone-induced hemolysis (12/31, 38.7%). Seven (7/31, 22.6%) and two (2/31, 6.5%) patients needed a change in treatment due to drug-induced hepatitis and drug-induced maculopapular rash, respectively.
Limitations: Retrospective study design, study conducted in single tertiary referral center and small sample size were the limitations.
Conclusion: Nearly one-fifth of patients with leprosy required modifications in standard MDT. The most common indication (in two-third of patients who needed a modified treatment) for modification of treatment regimen was adverse drug reactions.
}, year = {2023}, journal = {Journal of Skin and Sexually Transmitted Diseases}, volume = {0}, pages = {1-5}, publisher = {Scientific Scholar}, issn = {2582-3175}, url = {https://jsstd.org/view-pdf/?&article=b5969921523e0f4ec48e8ebdd1ce65a5w9E6VyliynY=}, doi = {10.25259/jsstd_10_2023}, language = {Eng}, }