The time interval between the start of anti-leprosy treatment and the development of reactions in borderline patients

Abstract

One hundred patients who developed a reversal reaction were analysed with respect to the time lapse between the start of treatment and the start of the reaction. It was found that in nearly all cases BT and BB patients developed reaction in the first half year of treatment. For BL patients such an obvious relationship could not be found. The authors express the opinion that the reversal reaction is a natural occurrence in the course of untreated borderline leprosy and that although sulphone treatment may accelerate the reaction it certainly does not cause it.