Short term combination therapy for paucibacillary leprosy--histological evaluation & follow-up study

68 patients with paucibacillary disease were started on various regimes of multi drug therapy, consisting of ethionamide, rifampicin or clofazimine administered with dapsone. Serial skin biopsies were taken from 32 patients at one, two and three years and even later after the initial pre treatment biopsy. Actual material was available for study from 9 patients. All regimens were tolerated well except the one with ethionamide. However the therapeutic response was equal in all combination therapies as supported by histopathology. Compared to that with dapsone monotherapy the response was quicker with combination. Dapsone plus rifampicin combination was best tolerated and it worked out to be economical as well. No relapse was noted in any group during two or more years follow up.