Title : Treatment outcome of cutaneous leishmaniasis and its associated factors among admitted patients in alert hospital, Ethiopia
Abstract:
Background: Leishmania aethiopica is a peculiar parasite causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ethiopia and its mainstay treatment is Sodium Stibogluconate. However its treatment outcome in Ethiopia is not well documented.
Objectives: To determine the treatment outcome of admitted cutaneous leishmaniasis patients and its associated factors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from 1st November 2021 to 30th March 2022. Medical records of all cutaneous leishmaniasis diagnosed and admitted patients who received parenteral SSG at ALERT hospital, the main Leishmania treatment center in Ethiopia, during July 2011 to September 2021 were reviewed.
Results: A total of 827 charts of admitted cases from July 2011 to September 2021 were retrieved, but 667 (80.65%) were reviewed. Improvement in the treatment outcome was recorded in 93.36 % in the first course of SSG treatment, and 96.23%, 94.62%, 96.97% subsequently in second, third and fourth treatment courses respectively. Female gender and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis were the two predictive determinants in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Conclusion: The study shows that parenteral SSG therapy treats hospitalized CL patients well with female gender and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis having poor outcome suggesting the need for a different approach for diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis patients.
Audience take away:
This study would enable the audience to understand the treatment approach of cutaneous leishmaniasis during the last ten years at ALERT hospital. It can indicate the treatment difficulty of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ethiopia in respect to the various antileishmania medications prescribed and the number of treatment cycles administered. From this study, audience would note that emphasis needs to be given regarding the treatment of complicated forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis. For all audiences interested in neglected tropical diseases or cutaneous leishmaniasis, this study will provide a number of information for future prospective studies conducted.
