SETTINGS: Many believe that the regular treatment for multibacillary (MB) leprosy cases could be shortened. A shorter treatment, allowing for uniform treatment for all cases, makes case classification superfluous and therefore simplifies leprosy control. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of the treatment duration with the frequency of reactions among MB patients. METHODS: An open-label randomised clinical trial to compare the present routine treatment with one lasting six months. Patients were recruited between March 2007 and February 2012. We analysed the frequency of first reaction with the Kaplan-Meier method and of recurrent reaction with a Poisson regression, using the treatment group and baciloscopic index level (BI) as independent variables. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the statistical association of different reaction types and the treatment group. RESULTS: Among those with BI < 3, we found a statistical significant difference of reaction frequencies between the treatment groups from 6 to 18 months since the beginning of treatment. This difference disappears at 2 years after the start of treatment. Multiple reactions were associated with the treatment group and with BI > or = 3. No specific types of reactions were associated with treatment duration. CONCLUSION: Although this is the first report of U-MDT/CT-BR, the results presented here support the possibility of use of UMDT in the field.
RCT Entities:
SETTINGS: Many believe that the regular treatment for multibacillary (MB) leprosy cases could be shortened. A shorter treatment, allowing for uniform treatment for all cases, makes case classification superfluous and therefore simplifies leprosy control. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of the treatment duration with the frequency of reactions among MB patients. METHODS: An open-label randomised clinical trial to compare the present routine treatment with one lasting six months. Patients were recruited between March 2007 and February 2012. We analysed the frequency of first reaction with the Kaplan-Meier method and of recurrent reaction with a Poisson regression, using the treatment group and baciloscopic index level (BI) as independent variables. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the statistical association of different reaction types and the treatment group. RESULTS: Among those with BI < 3, we found a statistical significant difference of reaction frequencies between the treatment groups from 6 to 18 months since the beginning of treatment. This difference disappears at 2 years after the start of treatment. Multiple reactions were associated with the treatment group and with BI > or = 3. No specific types of reactions were associated with treatment duration. CONCLUSION: Although this is the first report of U-MDT/CT-BR, the results presented here support the possibility of use of UMDT in the field.
Authors: Rodrigo Scaliante Moura; Gerson Oliveira Penna; Ludimila Paula Vaz Cardoso; Maria Araci de Andrade Pontes; Rossilene Cruz; Heitor de Sá Gonçalves; Maria Lúcia Fernandes Penna; Mariane Martins de Araújo Stefani; Samira Bührer-Sékula Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2015-05-04 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Gerson Oliveira Penna; Samira Bührer-Sékula; Lígia Regina Sansigolo Kerr; Mariane Martins de Araújo Stefani; Laura Cunha Rodrigues; Marcelo Grossi de Araújo; Andrea Machado Coelho Ramos; Ana Regina Coelho de Andrade; Maurício Barcelos Costa; Patricia Sammarco Rosa; Heitor de Sá Gonçalves; Rossilene Cruz; Maurício Lima Barreto; Maria Araci de Andrade Pontes; Maria Lúcia Fernandes Penna Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2017-07-13
Authors: Mariane M A Stefani; Charlotte Avanzi; Samira Bührer-Sékula; Andrej Benjak; Chloé Loiseau; Pushpendra Singh; Maria A A Pontes; Heitor S Gonçalves; Emerith M Hungria; Philippe Busso; Jérémie Piton; Maria I S Silveira; Rossilene Cruz; Antônio Schetinni; Maurício B Costa; Marcos C L Virmond; Suzana M Diorio; Ida M F Dias-Baptista; Patricia S Rosa; Masanori Matsuoka; Maria L F Penna; Stewart T Cole; Gerson O Penna Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2017-06-15
Authors: Emerith M Hungria; Samira Bührer-Sékula; Regiane M Oliveira; Lúcio C Aderaldo; Maria Araci A Pontes; Rossilene Cruz; Heitor S de Gonçalves; Maria L F Penna; Gerson O Penna; Mariane M A Stefani Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2018-05-14 Impact factor: 7.561