title: Treatment Outcome of Patients with Buruli Ulcer Disease in Togo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following introduction of antimycobacterial treatment of Buruli ulcer disease (BUD), several clinical studies evaluated treatment outcomes of BUD patients, in particular healing times, secondary lesions and functional limitations. Whereas recurrences were rarely observed, paradoxical reactions and functional limitations frequently occurred. Although systematic BUD control in Togo was established as early as 2007, treatment outcome has not been reviewed to date. Therefore, a pilot project on post-treatment follow-up of BUD patients in Togo aimed to evaluate treatment outcomes and to provide recommendations for optimization of treatment success.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 199 laboratory confirmed BUD patients, 129 could be enrolled in the study. The lesions of 109 patients (84.5%) were completely healed without any complications, 5 patients (3.9%) had secondary lesions and 15 patients (11.6%) had functional limitations. Edema, category III ulcers >15 cm, healing times >180 days and a limitation of movement at time of discharge constituted the main risk factors significantly associated with BUD related functional limitations (P<0.01). Review of all BUD related documentation revealed major shortcomings, in particular concerning medical records on adjuvant surgical and physiotherapeutic treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study presents the first systematic analysis of treatment outcome of BUD patients from Togo. Median times to healing and the absence of recurrences were in line with findings reported by other investigators. The percentage of functional limitations of 11.6% was lower than in other studies, and edema, category III ulcers, healing time >180 days and limitation of movement at discharge constituted the main risk factors for functional limitations in Togolese BUD patients. Standardized treatment plans, patient assessment and follow-up, as well as improved management of medical records are recommended to allow for intensified monitoring of disease progression and healing process, to facilitate implementation of therapeutic measures and to optimize treatment success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (DITM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beissner
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (DITM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arens
authors.affiliation: German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, Togo Office (DAHW-T), Lomé, Togo.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Régional Maritime, Tsévié (CHR-Tsévié), Togo.
authors.forename: Ebekalisaï
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piten
authors.affiliation: Programme National de lutte contre l'Ulcère de Buruli, la Lèpre et le Pian (PNLUB-LP), Lomé, Togo.
authors.forename: Basile
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kobara
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (DITM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Malkin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (DITM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Herbinger
authors.affiliation: Institut National d'Hygiène (INH), Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo.
authors.forename: Kossi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Badziklou
authors.affiliation: Institut National d'Hygiène (INH), Ministère de la Santé, Lomé, Togo.
authors.forename: Abiba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banla Kere
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (DITM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Löscher
authors.affiliation: German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, Togo Office (DAHW-T), Lomé, Togo.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nitschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (DITM), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bretzel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012008:Recurrence; D014037:Togo; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents