Efficacy of a weekly cryotherapy regimen to treat Leishmania major cutaneous leishmaniasis - 24/04/13
, Eid Geith, MD b, Lina Natsheh, BSc a, Gabrielle Schönian, PhD c, Nabil Abotteen, MD b, Sa’ad Kharabsheh, MD b
Reprint requests: Ibrahim M. Mosleh, PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan.Abstract |
Background |
Antileishmanial chemotherapy can have adverse effects and may fail to cure patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).
Objective |
To evaluate the efficacy of a weekly cryotherapy regimen in patients with confirmed Leishmania major infection.
Methods |
One hundred twenty Jordanian patients with 375 lesions were treated with cryotherapy performed once weekly in 1 to 7 sessions. This regimen was adopted since living parasites were recovered, in several CL patients, even after 3 cryosessions. Scarring was assessed in 78 patients 3 years after treatment.
Results |
Approximately 84% of the lesions were cured after 1 to 4 sessions. The remaining lesions (16.3%) were cured after an additional 1 to 3 session(s). Cryotherapy caused mild adverse side effects and most of the patients were cured with negligible scarring. Statistically, the lesion size and location significantly affected the clinical response to cryotherapy.
Limitations |
A fraction of patients was followed up 3 years after healing.
Conclusion |
Cryotherapy with weekly intervals for 1 to 4 sessions is effective to treat L major CL, especially for smaller lesions. Extra sessions may be necessary to cure larger lesions. The cosmetic results are very good and no relapses were registered.
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| Funding sources: None. |
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| Conflicts of interest: None declared. |
Vol 58 - N° 4
P. 617-624 - avril 2008 Retour au numéro
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