Clinico-histopathological study of multidrug therapy in indeterminate leprosy

A study was undertaken in 42 patients with indeterminate leprosy to evaluate the efficacy of multidrug therapy (MDT) in Indeterminate leprosy for 12 months. The main clinical finding was a single hypopigmented macule in 31 (73.8%) of the 42 cases. Histopathologically all cases showed lymphohistiocytic infiltration around skin appendages and dermal nerves. At the end of six months of MDT all the cases were evaluated clinically and 33 (85.5%) showed marked improvement or total inactivation while the lesions were still active clinically in 21.4% cases. Histopathological examination of lesions in 30 patients showed complete histological resolution in 9 cases only. At the end of one year of treatment it was found that 28 cases (66.3%) had become inactive and only 2 (4.7%) were found to be still active.