Low-cost thermotherapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sindh, Pakistan.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To study the efficacy of a low-cost heating pack device used for thermotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

METHODS:

The study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Civil Hospital Sukkur, Pakistan, from April 20, 2012, to January 3, 2013. Thermotherapy with Hand-Held Exothermic Crystallisation Therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis was performed on each lesion of the participating subjects at an average initial temperature of 51.6°C for 3 minutes daily for 7 days. Patients were followed regularly for 6 months after the therapy. SPSS 20 was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS:

Even though all 27 patients completed 1 week of thermotherapy, only 23(85.2%) patients could be evaluated for full treatment response since 4(14.8%) were lost to complete follow-up. By the final 180-day evaluation, 19 (83%) patients had been cured. Applications were well tolerated with no side effects.

CONCLUSION:

The devise was a convenient, safe, non-toxic and effective treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis at a fraction of the cost of standard antimonial treatment. Further studies are needed to certify its safety and efficacy as monotherapy for the condition.

• Authors: Sharaf Ali Shah, Abdul Aziz Memon, Auwj-e-Shamim, Shehla Baqi, Richard Witzig
• Journal: JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association (J Pak Med Assoc) Vol. 64 Issue 12 Pg. 1398-404 (Dec 2014) ISSN: 0030-9982 [Print] Pakistan
• PMID: 25842586 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Costs and Cost Analysis
• Female
• Humans
• Hyperthermia, Induced (economics, instrumentation, methods)
• Infant
• Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous (economics, therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pakistan
• Pilot Projects
• Young Adult