Clinical Analysis of 12 403 Leprosy Relapse Cases in China / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study clinical characteristics and the trends of leprosy relapse cases after dapsone(DDS) monotherapy or multidrug therapy(MDT) from 1949 to 1998. Methods The data of leprosy relapse cases in China from 1949 to 1998 were analyzed. Results There were a total of 12 403 leprosy relapse cases during 1949～ 1998 in China with a cumulative relapse rate of 3.28％ . Among them, 11 803 were relapsed after DDS monotherapy with a relapse rate of 3.83％ and 236 were after MDT with a relapse rate of 0.57％ . The relapse rate (0.84％ ) in PB cases which were previously treated with DDS monotherapy a half year was significantly higher than that (0.36％ ) in PB cases treated with MDT a half year. The relapse rate (0.37％ ) in MB cases which were previously treated with DDS monotherapy plus MDT also significantly higher than that (0.23％ ) in MB cases which were just treated with MDT two years. The proportions of cases with gradeⅡ disabilities and positive skin smears in relapse cases were 49.9％ and 69.3％ , respectively. Conclusion The peak of leprosy relapses after DDS monotherapy occurred during 1959～ 1988. The relapses after MDT started at the end of 1980s and may reach its peak in the next decades.