Clinical evaluation studies in lepromatous leprosy fourth series: 4, Butoxy-4dimethylaminodiphenyl thiourea (DPT), amodiaquin, and 4-4 diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) 2.5 mgm. and 4 mgm. per kg. of body weight

RESUMO

In a duplicate experiment on lepromatous leprosy carried out at two leprosaria in the Philippines, Central Luzon Sanitarium near Manila and Eversley Childs Sanitarium near Cebu City, four groups of patients were treated respectively with 4 butoxy - 4' dimethylaminodiphenyl thiourea (SU 1906), amodiaquin (camoquin), a higher dose of DDS (4 mgm. per kgm. of body weight) and a lower dose of DDS (2.5 mgm. per kgm.) Treatment was continued for 96 weeks, except in the amodiaquin group in which the drug was discontinued at 72 weeks; most of the patients of this group were continued on DDS. At both institutions the superiority of DDS over amodiaquin was evident from the physical examinations at 72 weeks, and this was confirmed at 96 weeks in spite of the fact that most of the amodiaquin patients had received DDS from the 73rd week. SU 1906 likewise was superior to amodiaquin. In comparison with both higher and lower doses of DDS, however, SU 1906 showed consistently lower rates of improvement at each examination, but the differences were small. The patients on the higher dosage of DDS did not improve in greater proportion than those in the lower dose, as far as the clinical evidence goes. As had been found in our previous studies, healing of ulceration of the nasal septum took longer than is usually supposed, and new ulcerations occurred under continuous therapy with either DDS or SU 1906. At Eversley Childs, where the treatment schedules were more closely adhered to than at Central Luzon the value of sulfone treatment was indicated by a higher percentage of healing and a lower frequency of patients developing new ulcerations...