Ofloxacin-Containing Multidrug Therapy in Ambulatory Leprosy Patients: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Standard dapsone and clofazimine-containing multidrug therapy (MDT) for leprosy is limited by drug tolerability, which poses treatment adherence barriers. Although ofloxacin-based regimens are promising alternatives, current efficacy and safety data are limited, particularly outside of endemic areas. We evaluated treatment outcomes in patients with leprosy receiving ofloxacin-containing MDT (OMDT) at our center. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients treated for leprosy at our center over an 8-year period (2011-2019). Primary outcomes evaluated were clinical cure rate, occurrence of leprosy reactions, antibiotic-related adverse events, and treatment adherence. Analyses were descriptive; however, data were stratified by age, sex, spectrum of disease, region of origin, and treatment regimen, and odds ratios were reported to assess associations with adverse outcomes. RESULTS: Over the enrolment period, 26 patients were treated with OMDT (n = 19 multibacillary, n = 7 paucibacillary), and none were treated with clofazimine-based standard MDT. At the time of analysis, 23 patients (88%) had completed their course of treatment, and all were clinically cured, while 3 (12%) were still on treatment. Eighteen patients (69%) experienced either ENL (n = 7, 27%), type 1 reactions (n = 7, 27%), or both (n = 4, 15%). No patients stopped ofloxacin due to adverse drug effects, and there were no cases of allergic hypersensitivity, tendinopathy or rupture, or C. difficile colitis. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate a high cure rate and tolerability of OMDT in this small case series over an 8-year period, suggesting its viability as an alternative to standard clofazimine-containing MDT.