Thalidomide in type-2 lepra reaction--a clinical experience.
A clinical experience of using thalidomide in type-2 lepra reaction (ENL) in 90 male patients--57 with lepromatous leprosy (LL) and 33 with borderline lepromatous leprosy (BL)--is described. All the patients responded well although some took a longer time to improve. No major side effects were observed except for giddiness in 10 and gastrointestinal upsets in 7 patients. Thalidomide thus appears to be a very effective drug in the treatment of severe type-2 lepra reaction and apart from its historically well-documented embryopathic effects, does not seem to have any other serious side effects in the patients under study.
Jadhav
V H
VH
Dr. Bandorawala Leprosy Hospital, Pune.
Patki
A H
AH
Mehta
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013792:Thalidomide