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A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled dose comparison of thalidomide for treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum.

Author(s): Villahermosa LG, Fajardo TT Jr, Abalos RM, Balagon MV, Tan EV, Cellona RV, Palmer JP, Wittes J, Thomas SD, Kook KA, Walsh GP, Walsh DS

Affiliation(s): Leonard Wood Memorial Center for Leprosy Research (American Leprosy Foundation) Cebu City, The Philippines.

Publication date & source: 2005-05, Am J Trop Med Hyg., 72(5):518-26.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

In a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy controlled study, 22 men with erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) received six capsules containing either 100 mg (group A, n = 12) or 300 mg (group B, n = 10) of thalidomide daily for one week. A six-week, four capsules per day taper followed, in which group A received 50 mg/day of thalidomide in weeks 2 and 3, then dummy capsules in weeks 4 through 7, while group B had gradual decrements every two weeks. Both regimens caused comparable improvement in 19 patients at day 7 (group A [12 of 12] versus group B [7 of 10]; P = 0.08), but slower tapering in group B showed less re-emergence of ENL through week 7 (P = 0.02, versus group A). Most patients developed new lesions soon after stopping treatment. Slower tapering from a higher initial thalidomide dose may improve clinical ENL responses, but high recurrence rates after discontinuation indicates further assessment is needed to identify better tapering regimens.

Page last updated: 2006-01-31

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