title: Long-term efficacy of single-dose radiofrequency-induced heat therapy vs. intralesional antimonials for cutaneous leishmaniasis in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiofrequency-induced heat therapy (RFHT) has been found to be safe and effective against cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the short term, but its long-term efficacy is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the long-term efficacy of RFHT vs. intralesional sodium stibogluconate (SSG) injections in the treatment of CL in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CL were randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to receive topical RFHT for 30-60 s or seven intralesional injections of SSG (50 mg cm(-2) of lesion). Improvement and recurrence were monitored every 15 days after the initiation of treatment for 4 months and then at 5, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months post-treatment; the rates of complete cure were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lesions were healed in 47 out of 50 patients (94%) in the RFHT group and in 46 out of 50 patients (92%) in the SSG group at week 12. Time to complete healing was comparable in the two groups. At 6 months post-treatment, cure rates in the RFHT and SSG groups were 98% [95% confidence interval (CI) 94-100%] and 94% (95% CI 86-100%), respectively. Age, sex and lesion size or number had no effect on cure rates. No relapse of infection was recorded in cured patients in either group up to 12-18 months after initiation of treatment. Skin biopsies of cured lesions in eight out of eight (100%) patients from the RFHT group and three of three from the SSG group at 12 months showed minimal fibrosis and were negative for Leishmania tropica by polymerase chain reaction test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single application of RFHT is safe, cosmetically acceptable and effective in inducing a long-term cure of CL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, PBM Hospital and SP Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. dr_bumb@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bumb
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khandelwal
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aara
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ghiya
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salotra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Satoskar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D007194:India; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078702:Radiofrequency Therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate