The outpatient treatment of nerve damage in patients with borderline leprosy using a semi-standardized steroid regimen

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Abstract
Patients (33) with borderline leprosy who had developed recent (< 6 mo. duration) loss of nerve function were treated with a semi-standardized course of corticosteroids; the average initial dose was 25 mg prednisolone daily and the average duration was 5 mo. Treatment was unsupervised and no patients was admitted to hospital. The results were assessed by tests of voluntary muscle power and of sensory function; of the 57 nerves studied, 38 showed marked improvement and none got worse. There were no serious side-effects. Patients were taught exercises to prevent deformity, and residual muscle weakness did not progress to contractures. Corticosteroid treatment is safe enough, and confers sufficient benefit to be used in standard dosage under field conditions.

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