BACKGROUND: Antileishmanial chemotherapy can have adverse effects and may fail to cure patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a weekly cryotherapy regimen in patients with confirmed Leishmania major infection. METHODS: One hundred twenty Jordanian patients with 375 lesions were treated with cryotherapy performed once weekly in 1 to 7 sessions. This regimen was adopted since living parasites were recovered, in several CL patients, even after 3 cryosessions. Scarring was assessed in 78 patients 3 years after treatment. RESULTS: Approximately 84% of the lesions were cured after 1 to 4 sessions. The remaining lesions (16.3%) were cured after an additional 1 to 3 session(s). Cryotherapy caused mild adverse side effects and most of the patients were cured with negligible scarring. Statistically, the lesion size and location significantly affected the clinical response to cryotherapy. LIMITATIONS: A fraction of patients was followed up 3 years after healing. CONCLUSION: Cryotherapy with weekly intervals for 1 to 4 sessions is effective to treat L major CL, especially for smaller lesions. Extra sessions may be necessary to cure larger lesions. The cosmetic results are very good and no relapses were registered.
BACKGROUND: Antileishmanial chemotherapy can have adverse effects and may fail to cure patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a weekly cryotherapy regimen in patients with confirmed Leishmania major infection. METHODS: One hundred twenty Jordanian patients with 375 lesions were treated with cryotherapy performed once weekly in 1 to 7 sessions. This regimen was adopted since living parasites were recovered, in several CL patients, even after 3 cryosessions. Scarring was assessed in 78 patients 3 years after treatment. RESULTS: Approximately 84% of the lesions were cured after 1 to 4 sessions. The remaining lesions (16.3%) were cured after an additional 1 to 3 session(s). Cryotherapy caused mild adverse side effects and most of the patients were cured with negligible scarring. Statistically, the lesion size and location significantly affected the clinical response to cryotherapy. LIMITATIONS: A fraction of patients was followed up 3 years after healing. CONCLUSION: Cryotherapy with weekly intervals for 1 to 4 sessions is effective to treat L major CL, especially for smaller lesions. Extra sessions may be necessary to cure larger lesions. The cosmetic results are very good and no relapses were registered.
Authors: Mahmoodreza Moein; Gholamreza Hatam; Razieh Taghavi-Moghadam; Mohammad M Zarshenas Journal: J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med Date: 2016-01-08
Authors: Anil A Ahuja; Ram A Bumb; Rajesh D Mehta; Neha Prasad; Ram K Tanwar; Abhay R Satoskar Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2012-08 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Caspar J Hodiamont; Piet A Kager; Aldert Bart; Henry J C de Vries; Pieter P A M van Thiel; Tjalling Leenstra; Peter J de Vries; Michèle van Vugt; Martin P Grobusch; Tom van Gool Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2014-05-01