Dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome among leprosy patients in China.

OBJECTIVE To Study the incidence and clinical characteristics of dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome (DHS) among MDT-treated leprosy patients from 2006 to 2009 in China. METHODS A retrospective survey was carried out throughout China using a specially designed questionnaire. RESULTS From 2006 to 2009, there were 63 new patients reported to have DHS with an incidence of 1.0%. Among these patients, 13 were complete types of DHS, the others were incomplete ones. The average age of patients with DHS was 38 years and the male to female ratio was 2.15. The average incubation period from taking dapsone to DHS onset was 32.8 days (2-6 weeks). There were 60 (95.2%) patients who presented with various skin lesions, 56 (88.9%) with fever, 40 (63.5%) with hepatic damage and 22 (34.9%) with lymphopathy. Seven patients died with a death rate of 11.1% among all patients with DHS. CONCLUSIONS DHS is a serious adverse event resulted from dapsone. It can occur in a small number of new leprosy patients treated with dapsone containing regimen. Some patients may die of DHS if not taking timely and adequate management. Therefore local doctors should pay an attention to DHS among leprosy patients newly treated with the dapsone-containing MDT regimen.