Hemolytic anemia in patients receiving daily dapsone for the treatment of leprosy.
BACKGROUND
Multidrug therapy for leprosy is currently done with dapsone, clofazimine and rifampicin. Dapsone is known to cause hemolytic anemia (HA) and this adverse event during MDT seems to be more frequent than reported. The aim of this report is to discuss and grade HA due to dapsone during MDT treatment for leprosy.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study of 194 leprosy patients from a Leprosy Control Programme Unit in Vit6ria-ES, Brazil.


RESULTS
HA was observed in 48 (24.7%) patients and occurred within the first 3 months in 51% of these. Mean hematocrit levels fell from 38.5 to 31.5 and hemoglobin from 12.8 to 10.3.


CONCLUSIONS
Dapsone used in the MDT regime for leprosy decreases the hematocrit and hemoglobin levels due to a low grade hemolysis, which can result in significant anemia.
Department of Social Medicine, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória-ES, Brasil. pdeps@uol.com.br
Patricia
P
Deps
Patrícia
P
Guerra
Sofia
S
Nasser
Marisa
M
Simon
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001938:Brazil; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003622:Dapsone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006400:Hematocrit; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D003622:Dapsone; D002991:Clofazimine; D012293:Rifampin