title: Profile of oxidative stress in response to treatment for type 1 leprosy reaction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure oxidative stress in Type 1 leprosy reaction, and to document the effect of anti-leprosy multidrug therapy (MDT) and anti-reaction drugs on measures of oxidative stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was carried out at a teaching hospital involving consecutive patients with Type 1 reaction. MDA (malondialdehyde), FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) and GSH (reduced glutathione) were measured in venous blood samples as measures of oxidative stress and compared at inclusion, after 4 weeks of initial therapy (following standard guidelines including MDT, NSAIDS, and systemic steroids), and 4 weeks after clinical remission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final study cohort included 40 patients with Type 1 reaction (different treatment arms) after excluding for confounding factors such as prior treatment, smoking, NSAID use or concurrent illness requiring therapy. Measures of lipid derived oxidative stress assessed by MDA showed a significant rise with 4 weeks of therapy and a trend towards decline after clinical resolution. In contrast, the other two measures of anti-oxidants namely GSH and FRAP, showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) at 4 weeks of treatment followed by a significant increase after 4 weeks of clinical remission of reaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MDT and anti-reactional treatment is associated with significant increases in FRAP and GSH levels, reflecting a reduction in the oxidative stress in patients treated for Type 1 reaction. However, lipid peroxidation as measured by MDA is only partially controlled with treatment.
authors.forename: Namrata
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chhabra
authors.forename: Sambit Nath
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singal
authors.forename: Rafat S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione