title: Effect of one year clofazimine therapy on autonomic functions in lepromatous leprosy with lepra (ENL) reaction.
abstract: Twenty patients of either sex of Lepromatous leprosy with frequent type II (ENL) reactions were selected for the study after exclusion of autonomic disorders. ANS functions were evaluated before and after Clofazimine therapy at an interval of two months for one year. Sweat function test, valsalva manoeuvre, Histamine triple response, cold pressor test and Homatropine instillation were carried out in twenty normal healthy volunteers (controls) and the (ENL) patients. Clofazimine was administered initially 100 mg three times daily for one month and then gradually reduced to a dose of 100 mg biweekly for the last three months. Before the clofazimine therapy, eighteen patients had abnormal sweat functions, five patients had abnormal valsalva score, five patients had abnormal cold pressor response and all the eighteen patients had abnormal histamine triple response test. Homatropine instillation test was normal in all the patients. ANS functions did not improve significantly with Clofazimine therapy, except in one patients with abnormal cold pressor response who showed slight improvement in pressor response which, however, did not reach the normal value. ANS function tests indicate complete involvement of local axon reflex and hyporeactivity of sympathetic system and cardiac regulatory mechanisms in these patients. Parasympathetic system seems to be normal as seen from Homatropine instillation test.
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013546:Sweating; D014326:Tropanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver
chemical_list: D014326:Tropanes; D006632:Histamine; C100236:homatropine; D002991:Clofazimine