Adverse effects of multi-drug therapy in leprosy, a two years’ experience (2006-2008) in tertiary health care centre in the tribal region of Chhattisgarh State (Bastar, Jagdalpur)

[[[ Objective: ]]] To assess the adverse effects of multi drug therapy (MDT) in leprosy patients. [[[ Methods: ]]] A prospective and descriptive study carried out in Department of Dermatology, Government Medical College, Jagdalpur. The adverse effects were recorded on the personal record of every individual patient, filled during the course of treatment. [[[ Results: ]]] 176 patient’s records were analysed, looking for adverse effects. Among the 176 patients, 79 had adverse effects due to one or more components of MDT, 73 had adverse effects due to dapsone, eight due to rifampicin and 16 due to clofazimine. Mean (+/- SD) duration for the development of adverse effects from the start of therapy was 1.99 (+/- 0.69) months for dapsone, 36 (+/- 0.68) months for rifampicin and 7.13 (+/- 0.79) months for clofazimine. There was a significant (P < 0.05) correlation between adverse effects and low Body Mass Index (BMI). The suspected drug was stopped and an alternative regime started in nine patients; six had dapsone stopped, two had rifampicin stopped and one had clofazimine stopped. [[[ Conclusion: ]]] Adverse effects attributed to MDT are comparable to previous studies and we found that ADR due to Dapsone was very high but most of the ADR were managed by supportive treatment without replacing the suspected drug.