Reactions and their management.

The uneventful response to chemotherapy in leprosy is marked by clinically disturbing episodes encountered in 20-30% of patients and these phenomena are called "reactions". Generally they are classified as reversal reaction (type-1) and erythema nodosum leprosum (type-2). The cutaneous menifestations are: (1) Type-2 reactions in LL, BL types constituting erythema nodosum leprosum, erythema multiforme, erythema necroticans, subcutaneous nodules, lepromatous exacerbation. (2) Type-1 reactions in borderline and tuberculoid leprosy. The other manifestations include: Acute neuritis, lymphadenitis, arthritis, oedema of the hands and feet, ocular lesions, etc. Sequelae of reactions are: Paralytic deformities, non-paralytic deformities, extensive scarring and renal damage. A simple guideline to identify the risk-prone cases has been narrated. Prednisolone in standard dosage schedule as recommended by WHO is now being widely used in control programmes.

Long-term follow up of multibacillary leprosy patients with high BI treated with WHO/MDT regimen for a fixed duration of two years.

Forty-six, newly detected, previously untreated multibacillary (MB) patients with a bacterial index (BI) of > or = 3+ who had received WHO/MDT for 2 years were followed up for a total duration of 424 person-years and a mean duration of 9.26 +/- 2.98 years per patient. The BIs of the patients continued to fall, and all of the patients, except one, reached skin-smear negativity. WHO/MDT was well accepted and well tolerated. Relapse, which was defined as an increase in the BI of 1+ or more with or without clinical evidence of activity, was observed in only one patient, giving a relapse rate of 2.2% or 0.23 per 100 person-years in patients with a BI of > or = 3+ after long-term follow up. This patient was started on a second course of WHO/MDT to which he responded favorably. WHO/MDT for a fixed duration of 2 years for MB patients as recommended by the WHO is vindicated.

Risk factors for type-1 reactions in borderline leprosy patients.

Type-1 or reversal reactions are the major cause of nerve damage and disability in leprosy. We wished to determine whether there were any clinical or laboratory markers that identified patients with an increased risk of type-1 reaction. 42 (31%) of 136 Nepalese borderline leprosy patients (97 male, 39 female; age range 7-73 years) had a type-1 reaction during the first 2 years of multi-drug therapy. Before therapy, 41 (98%) of the 42 patients were seropositive for antibodies to one of three mycobacterial antigens. Seropositivity for IgM antiphenolic-glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) antibodies, but not IgG anti-lipoarabinomannan or anti-Mycobacterium leprae 35 kDa protein antibodies, was significantly associated with subsequent manifestation of a type-1 reaction (p less than 0.001). The concentration of IgM anti-PGL-1 antibodies in serum was significantly higher in patients in whom a type-1 reaction developed. The risk attributable to anti-PGL-1 seropositivity was independent of leprosy class, skin smear positivity, and the presence of other anti-M leprae antibodies (adjusted odds ratio = 8.7, p less than 0.001). In the 87 patients who had a lepromin test, anti-PGL-1 seropositivity and lepromin reactivity were significant independent risk factors for subsequent reaction. 78% of patients with positive lepromin reactivity and IgM anti-PGL-1 antibodies had type-1 reactions. Patients with these risk factors should be carefully monitored during antimicrobial therapy to permit early initiation of anti-inflammatory treatment thus minimising permanent nerve damage and resultant disability.

[Thalidomide in dermatology]. / Thalidomid in der Dermatologie.

Based on present publications we review indications of the therapy of dermatoses with thalidomide as well as possible mechanisms of action and side effects of this drug. In reactional states of leprosy the use of thalidomide is established. Further indications are chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, prurigo nodularis, and eventually recurrent aphthosis and certain photodermatoses not responding to usual treatment. Therapeutical trials of thalidomide in diseases in which such a treatment is only occasionally or not at all mentioned in the literature will be reported. Concerning the mechanisms of action emphasis is put on a possible immunosuppression by thalidomide. Among the side effects the thalidomide neuropathy is stressed.