Comparing the Efficacy of Monotherapy with Intralesional Meglumine Antimoniate and Combination Therapy with Trichloroacetic Acid 50% and Intralesional Meglumine Antimoniate for the Treatment of Acute Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Abstract

Objective: to compare the efficacy of monotherapy with intralesional meglumine antimoniate and combination therapy with trichloroacetic acid 50% and intralesional meglumine antimoniate for treating acute cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Study Design: A randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Dermatology department of DHQ hospital, Faisalabad from July 5, 2017 to July 5, 2018. Methodology: We divided 222 patients Group MA with 104 patients who were to be given intralesional MA and Group TCA+MA with 118 patients who were to be given TCA 50% and intralesional MA. Age, number of lesions, gender distribution, response to treatment in the form of complete, partial and no cure were compared between the groups. Independent t-test and chi-square tests were applied. The data was put in SPSS version 23 computer software and analyzed. P value of more than 0.05 was considered clinically insignificant. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, average number of lesions and male percentage (p>0.05). Complete and partial cure of papule and nodule was seen in more patients of the Group TCA+MA while the cure rates of plaque were more in the group MA (p-value 0.014, 0.019 and 0.009, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the cure rates of ulcerative lesions between the groups (p=0.312). Conclusion: There was significantly better cure rate in the patients who were given combination therapy of intralesional meglumine antimoniate with topical Trichloroacetic acid 50%.