Tile test to monitor the self administration of dapsone by leprosy patients

The regularity of attendance of leprosy patients at clinic does not correlate well with regularity in drug consumption. This feature has been reported by several workers from different parts of the world. For monitoring self administration periodical check up of urine for drug content is necessary. The dapsone tile test described by Irudayaraj(1981) is performed in porcalein tile with drop of leprosy patient's urine. An appearance of pink colour and its intensity shows the drug content in urine. Instead of porcalein tile a cheap and readily available plastic blistered capsule card was used which is convenient to carry in the field and is disposable. 184 urine samples were collected in field and tested at field clinic by paramedical workers employing dapsone tile test. The same urine samples were later processed for dapsone/creatinine ratio at the laboratory by photoelectric colorimetric investigations. It was found that the results of dapsone tile test in the field correlated well upto 96% with dapsone/creatinine ratio estimations in the laboratory. The tile test in plastic card is simple to perform under field condition and it is reliable too.