Risk factors for type-1 reactions in borderline leprosy patients

Type-1 or reversal reactions are the major cause of nerve damage and disability in leprosy. We wished to determine whether there were any clinical or laboratory markers that identified patients with an increased risk of type-1 reaction. 42 (31%) of 136 Nepalese borderline leprosy patients (97 male, 39 female; age range 7-73 years) had a type-1 reaction during the first 2 years of multi-drug therapy. Before therapy, 41 (98%) of the 42 patients were seropositive for antibodies to one of three mycobacterial antigens. Seropositivity for IgM anti-phenolic-glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) antibodies, but not IgG anti-lipoarabinomannan or anti-Mycobacterium leprae 35 kDa protein antibodies, was significantly associated with subsequent manifestation of a type-1 reaction (p