Intervention Review

You have free access to this content

Corticosteroids for treating nerve damage in leprosy

  1. Natasja HJ Van Veen1,*,
  2. Peter G Nicholls2,
  3. W Cairns S Smith3,
  4. Jan Hendrik Richardus1

Editorial Group: Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group

Published Online: 15 APR 2009

Assessed as up-to-date: 16 JAN 2011

DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005491.pub2

Database Title

Additional Information

How to Cite

Van Veen NHJ, Nicholls PG, Smith WCS, Richardus JH. Corticosteroids for treating nerve damage in leprosy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005491. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005491.pub2.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, Netherlands

  2. 2

    University of Southampton, School of Health Sciences, Southampton, UK

  3. 3

    University of Aberdeen, Public Health, Aberdeen, UK

*Natasja HJ Van Veen, Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, Netherlands. n.vanveen@erasmusmc.nl. nhjvanveen@gmail.com.

Publication History

  1. Publication Status: New search for studies and content updated (no change to conclusions)
  2. Published Online: 15 APR 2009

SEARCH

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Summary (60K)Standard (310K)Full (381K)

References

References to studies included in this review

  1. References to studies included in this review
  2. References to studies excluded from this review
  3. Additional references
Rao 2006 {published data only}
  • Sundar Rao PSS, Sugamaran DST, Richard J, Smith WCS. Multi-centre, double blind, randomized trial of three steroid regimens in the treatment of type-1 reactions in leprosy. Leprosy Review 2006;77(1):25-33.
Richardus 2003 {published data only}
  • Richardus JH, Withington SG, Anderson AM, Croft RP, Nicholls PG, Van Brakel WH, Smith WC. Treatment with corticosteroids of long-standing nerve function impairment in leprosy: a randomized controlled trial (TRIPOD 3). Leprosy Review 2003;74(4):311-8.
Van Brakel 2003 {published data only}
  • Van Brakel WH, Anderson AM, Withington SG, Croft RP, Nicholls PG, Richardus JH, et al. The prognostic importance of detecting mild sensory impairment in leprosy: a randomized controlled trial (TRIPOD 2). Leprosy Review 2003;74(4):300-10.

References to studies excluded from this review

  1. References to studies included in this review
  2. References to studies excluded from this review
  3. Additional references
Boucher 1999 {published data only}
  • Boucher P, Millan J, Parent M, Moulia-Pela JP. Randomized controlled trial of medical and medico-surgical treatment of Hansen's neuritis [Essai compare randomise du traitement medical et medico-chirurgical des nevrites hanseniennes]. Acta Leprologica 1999;11(4):171-7.
Croft 2000 {published data only}
  • Croft RP, Nicholls PG, Richardus JH, Smith WC. The treatment of acute nerve function impairment in leprosy: results from a prospective cohort study in Bangladesh. Leprosy Review 2000;71(2):154-68.
Dandapat 1991 {published data only}
  • Dandapat MC, Sahu DM, Mukherjee LM, Panda C, Baliarsing AS. Treatment of leprous neuritis by neurolysis combined with perineural corticosteroid injection. Leprosy Review 1991;62(1):27-34.
Ebenezer 1996 {published data only}
  • Ebenezer M, Andrews P, Solomon S. Comparative trial of steroids and surgical intervention in the management of ulnar neuritis. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1996;64(3):282-6.
Garbino 2007 {published data only}
  • Garbino JA. Clinical and neurophysiologic randomized trial about ulnar neuropathy responses, in type 1 and type 2 Hansen's disease reactions under oral steroid treatment [Ensaio clinico e neurofisiologico sobre a resposta do nervo ulnar, na hansenase em reao tipo 1 e tipo 2, sob diferentes regimes de esterides via oral]. Thesis 2006:1-140.
Jardim 2007 {published data only}
  • Jardim MR, Illarramendi X, Nascimento OJ, Nery JA, Sales AM, Sampaio EP, Sarno EN. Pure neural leprosy: steroids prevent neuropathy progression. Arquivos de Neuropsiquiatria 2007;65(4A):969-73.
Marlowe 2004 {published data only}
  • Marlowe SN, Hawksworth RA, Butlin CR, Nicholls PG, Lockwood DN. Clinical outcomes in a randomized controlled study comparing azathioprine and prednisolone versus prednisolone alone in the treatment of severe leprosy type 1 reactions in Nepal. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2004;98(10):602-9.
Marlowe 2007 {published data only}
  • Marlowe SN, Leekassa R, Bizuneh E, Knuutilla J, Ale P, Bhattarai B, et al. Response to ciclosporin treatment in Ethiopian and Nepali patients with severe leprosy Type 1 reactions. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2007;101(10):1004-12.
Pannikar 1984 {published data only}
  • Pannikar VK, Ramprasad S, Reddy NR, Andrews P, Ravi K, Fritschi EP. Effect of epicondylectomy in early ulnar neuritis treated with steroids. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1984;52(4):501-5.
Smith 2004 {published data only}
  • Smith WC, Anderson AM, Withington SG, van Brakel WH, Croft RP, Nicholls PG, Richardus JH. Steroid prophylaxis for prevention of nerve function impairment in leprosy: randomised placebo controlled trial (TRIPOD 1). British Medical Journal 2004;328(7454):1459.
Wilder-Smith 1997 {published data only}
  • Wilder-Smith, A. Wilder-Smith A, Wilder-Smith E. Effect of steroid therapy on parameters of peripheral autonomic dysfunction in leprosy patients with acute neuritis. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1997;65(1):20-7.

Additional references

  1. References to studies included in this review
  2. References to studies excluded from this review
  3. Additional references
Anderson 1999
  • Anderson AM, Croft RP. Reliability of Semmes Weinstein monofilament and ballpoint sensory testing, and voluntary muscle testing in Bangladesh. Leprosy Review 1999;70(3):305-13.
Becx-Bleumink 1990
Bell-Krotoski 1990
  • Bell-Krotoski JA. "Pocket filaments" and specifications for the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. Journal of Hand Therapy 1990;3:26-31.
Brandsma 1981
Britton 1998
Conn 1994
  • Conn HO, Poynard T. Corticosteroids and peptic ulcer: meta-analysis of adverse events during steroid therapy. Journal of Internal Medicine 1994;236:619-32.
    Direct Link:
Croft 1999
  • Croft RP, Richardus JH, Nicholls PG, Smith WC. Nerve function impairment in leprosy: design, methodology, and intake status of a prospective cohort study of 2664 new leprosy cases in Bangladesh (The Bangladesh Acute Nerve Damage Study). Leprosy Review 1999;70(2):140-59.
Heijnders 2004
Higgins 2011
  • Higgins JPT, Green S (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 [updated March 2011]. The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available from www.cochrane-handbook.org..
ILEP 2001
  • The International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP). How to diagnose and treat leprosy. London: ILEP, 2001.
ILEP 2002
Job 1989
Koelewijn 2003
  • Koelewijn LF, Meima A, Broekhuis SM, Richardus JH, Mitchell PD, Benbow C, Saunderson PR. Sensory testing in leprosy: comparison of ballpoint pen and monofilaments. Leprosy Review 2003;74(1):42-52.
Leekassa 2004
  • Leekassa R, Bizuneh E, Alem A. Prevalence of mental distress in the outpatient clinic of a specialized leprosy hospital. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2002. Leprosy Review 2004;75(4):367-75.
Lienhardt 1994
Little 2001
  • Little D, Khanolkar-Young S, Coulthart A, Suneetha S, Lockwood DN. Immunohistochemical analysis of cellular infiltrate and gamma interferon, interleukin-12, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in leprosy type 1 (reversal) reactions before and during prednisolone treatment. Infection and Immunity 2001;69(5):3413-7.
Lockwood 1993
  • Lockwood DN, Vinayakumar S, Stanley JN, McAdam KP, Colston MJ. Clinical features and outcome of reversal (type 1) reactions in Hyderabad, India. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1993;61(1):8-15.
Lockwood 2000
Lockwood 2005
  • Lockwood DN, Suneetha S. Leprosy: too complex a disease for a simple elimination paradigm. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2005;83(3):230-5.
Naafs 1979
  • Naafs B, Pearson JM, Wheate HW. Reversal reaction: the prevention of permanent nerve damage. Comparison of short and long-term steroid treatment. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1979;47(1):7-12.
Naafs 1996
Naafs 2003
Naik 1998
Nicholls 2003
  • Nicholls PG, Croft RP, Richardus, JH, Withington SG, Smith WC. Delay in presentation, an indicator for nerve function status at registration and for treatment outcome - the experience of the Bangladesh Acute Nerve Damage Study cohort. Leprosy Review 2003;74(4):349-56.
Pearson 1981
Pearson 1982
Rafferty 2005
Ravi 2004
  • Ravi HN, George R, Eapen EP, Pulimood SA, Gnanamuthu C, Jacob M, et al. A comparison of economic aspects of hospitalization versus ambulatory care in the management of neuritis occurring in lepra reaction. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 2004;72(4):448-56.
Richardus 2003a
  • Richardus JH, Withington SG, Anderson AM, Croft RP, Nicholls PG, Van Brakel WH, et al. Adverse events of standardized regimens of corticosteroids for prophylaxis and treatment of nerve function impairment in leprosy: results from the 'TRIPOD' trials. Leprosy Review 2003;74(4):319-27.
Ridley 1966
  • Ridley DS, Jopling WH. Classification of leprosy according to immunity. A five-group system. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1966;34(3):255-73.
Rose 1991
SALSA 2007
  • SALSA Collaborative Study Group. The development of a short questionnaire for screening of activity limitation and safety awareness (SALSA) in clients affected by leprosy or diabetes. Disability and Rehabilitation 2007;29(9):689-700.
Saunderson 2000
  • Saunderson P, Gebre S, Desta K, Byass P, Lockwood DN. The pattern of leprosy-related neuropathy in the AMFES patients in Ethiopia: definitions, incidence, risk factors and outcome. Leprosy Review 2000;71(3):285-308.
Schreuder 1998
  • Schreuder PA. The occurrence of reactions and impairments in leprosy: experience in the leprosy control program of three provinces in northeastern Thailand, 1987-1995 [correction of 1978-1995]. III. Neural and other impairments. International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases 1998;66(2):170-81.
Sugumaran 1998
Van Brakel 1996
  • Van Brakel WH, Khawas IB. Nerve function impairment in leprosy: an epidemiological and clinical study--Part 2: Results of steroid treatment. Leprosy Review 1996;67(2):104-18.
Van Brakel 2005
  • Van Brakel WH, Nicholls PG, Das L, Barkataki P, Suneetha SK, Jadhav RS, et al. The INFIR Cohort Study: investigating prediction, detection and pathogenesis of neuropathy and reactions in leprosy. Methods and baseline results of a cohort of multibacillary leprosy patients in north India. Leprosy Review 2005;76(3):14-34.
Van Brakel 2006
  • Van Brakel WH, Anderson AM, Mutatkar RK, Bakirtzief Z, Nicholls PG, Raju MS, Das-Pattanayak RK. The Participation Scale: measuring a key concept in public health. Disability and Rehabilitation 2006;28(4):193-203.
Van Veen 2009
  • Van Veen NHJ, Schreuders TAR, Theuvenet WJ, Agrawal A, Richardus JH. Decompressive surgery for treating nerve damage in leprosy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1. [DOI: ]
WHO 1995
  • World Health Organization. WHO Action Programme for the Elimination of Leprosy. A guide to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem. World Health Organization 1995.
WHO 1998
WHO 2004
  • World Health Organization. WHO Leprosy Elimination Project: Status Report 2003. Geneva: World Health Organization.
WHO 2006
  • World Health Organization. Leprosy. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/index.html (Accessed 27 November 2006).
WHO 2010
  • World Health Organization. Global leprosy situation, 2010. Weekly Epidemiological Record 2010;85(35):337-48.
View Full Article (HTML) Summary (60K)Standard (310K)Full (381K)