Five Years Retrospective Study on the Magnitude and Trend of Leprosy Reactions in All Africa Leprosy and Tuberculosis Research and Rehabilitation Center Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2023-10-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Leprosy reactions are immunologically mediated conditions that cause disability and can occur before, during or after completion of multidrug therapy. Little data is available on the magnitude and trends of leprosy reactions in Ethiopia.
Objective: To describe the magnitude and trend of leprosy reactions over a five-year period
Methods: Descriptive retrospective cross-sectional institutional based study carried out in ALERT Comprehensives Socialized Referral Hospital from medical records of leprosy reaction cases registered from January 1, 2018, to December 30, 2022. G.C
Result: A total of 234 registered cases were eligible for the study. Of them, 162(69.2%) were male; the remaining 72(38.2%) were females. The male to female ratio was 2.25:1. The mean age for the group was 33±12.1 year. Among the reactions, 221 (94.4%) cases were MBL while 13(5.6%) were PBL. 164 (70.1%) cases were BI positive at initial leprosy diagnosis. Of all reactions, 121 (51.7%) were ENL and 113 (48.3%) RR cases. As to the time of diagnosis, 136 (58.1%) cases diagnosed after MDT completion, 74 (31.6%) while on MDT and 24(10.3%) at the start of MDT.160 (68.4. %) cases had more than one episode of reactions. The magnitude and trend of reactions were fluctuant over five study periods. The majority of 77 (30.9%) cases were treated with prednisolone within 24 -48 weeks and 72 (30.8%) cases were on treatment for more than 96 weeks. The mean treatment period was 79.4±65.1 weeks. In a multivariate analysis, the MB type of leprosy, positive bacterial index and reactions developed during MDT and after MDT completed were statistically significant association with ENL.
Conclusion: In this study, the occurrence of ENL and RR reactions were comparable in magnitude. Most Leprosy reaction cases were multi-bacillary leprosy and Patients with MB leprosy and positive bacillary index were more likely to develop ENL reaction as compared to RR, which is statistically significant in multivariate analysis. The overall trend of reaction was inconsistence in magnitude and severity.
Key word: MB, PB Reaction, RR, ENL
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MB PB Reaction RR ENL, , ,