Role of Dapsone in chemotherapy of leprosy--a comparison of responses to therapy in two cohorts in 1960s and 1970s.
Two cohorts of bacterio-positive cases registered and started on treatment during 1960-62 and 1968-70 were studied for differences in their response to DDS monotherapy. Proportion of male and female cases, mean Bacteriological Index (B.I.) and the distribution of cases according to the initial BI did not differ between the two cohorts. 49.7% of the patients in the II cohort were taking regular treatment against 27.4% in the I cohort. At the end of 7 years of treatment, proportion of the cases that were bacteriologically negative were 68.6% and 83.0% in I and II cohorts respectively. Relapse rates in I and II cohorts were 14.3% and 7.9% respectively, over a period of 7 years. The findings showed that Dapsone continued to be an effective antileprosy drug and must be included in all multidrug regimens in the therapy of leprosy.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003622:Dapsone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D003622:Dapsone