LEPROSY
Leprosy Review
0305-7518
British Leprosy Relief Association
Colchester, UK
26-2266
0305-7518/14/064053+05
10.47276/lr.85.4.262
Original Papers
Results from the Clinical Trial of Uniform Multidrug Therapy for Leprosy Patients in Brazil (U-MDT/CT-BR): Decrease in Bacteriological Index
PennaMaria Lucia Fernandes
aBűhrer-sékulaSamira
bPontesMaria Araci De Andrade
cCruzRossilene
dGonçalvesHeitor De Sá
ca
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
b
Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, Goias, Brazil
c
Dona Libânia Dermatology Centre, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
d
Tropical Dermatology and Venerology Alfredo da Matta Foundation, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
e
Tropical Medicine Centre, University of Brasília, Brasília DF, Brazil
Correspondence to: Gerson Oliveira Penna, Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de Brasília. Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro – Caixa Postal 4517 – Asa Norte- Brasília – DF, CEP 70.904-970, Brazil (e-mail: gpenna@gpenna.net)
01122014
85
4
262
266
14102014
© Lepra
2014
Background:
Many believe that the regular treatment for multibacillary (MB) leprosy cases could be shortened. A shorter treatment allowing uniformity in treatment for all cases renders case classification superfluous and therefore simplifies leprosy control.
Objective:
To evaluate the association between treatment duration and the trend in bacteriological index (BI) decrease over time among patients given Uniform MDT (UMDT) compared to those given regular MDT (RMDT).
Methods:
An open-label randomised clinical trial to compare the present routine treatment with one lasting six month. Patient intake was from March 2007 to February 2012. To evaluate the trend of BI as a function of time, a multilevel linear with mixed effects model was fixed to the two study groups and also four groups after stratification by BI, less than 3 and 3 or more.
Results:
The BI fall was higher among those taking RMDT, this difference however was not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
The results presented here support the possibility of use of UMDT in the field, but further follow up is still needed for a final conclusion.