THERAPEUTIC HYPERBARIC OXYGENATION AS AN ADJUNCT TO MULTIDRUG THERAPY IN HANSEN'S DISEASE

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Hansen's disease, a chronic infection by *Mycobacterium leprae*, is typically treated with WHO-recommended Multi Drug Therapy (MDT).
• Hyper Baric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has demonstrated antimicrobial efficacy against various bacteria, including mycobacteria, in vitro and in vivo.
• Previous studies suggest HBOT can be beneficial for Hansen's disease, including drug-resistant forms, but literature remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Hyper Baric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as a pre-treatment for Hansen's disease.
• To assess the clinical and histopathological changes in Hansen's disease patients undergoing HBOT before standard MDT.

Main Methods:

• Twenty cases of Hansen's disease were treated with HBOT.
• Treatment with HBOT was administered prior to the standard WHO Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) schedule.
• Clinical signs (erythema, raised lesions) and histopathological findings (inflammatory exudate) were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Patients exhibited significant regression of skin manifestations, including reduced erythema and flattening of raised lesions.
• Histopathological examination revealed a notable decrease in inflammatory exudate.
• These clinical improvements correlated well with the observed histopathological changes.

Conclusions:

• HBOT appears to be an effective therapeutic option for Hansen's disease, leading to marked clinical and histopathological improvements.
• The study suggests HBOT can be a valuable addition to the management of Hansen's disease, potentially prior to or alongside MDT.
• Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the role and optimal application of HBOT in Hansen's disease treatment regimens.