Serum adenosine deaminase levels in reactional and non-reactional leprosy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Altered serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels have been recorded in various diseases involving lymphocytes and/or lymphoreticular system including leprosy. The study was planned to evaluate alterations in serum ADA levels, if any, in reactional and non-reactional leprosy. METHODS Eighty patients of leprosy, comprising 60 patients of non-reactional leprosy and 20 patients of reactional leprosy were studied along with 20 normal healthy controls. Five milliliters of venous blood was collected and ADA levels were estimated by the method of Giusti (1974). RESULTS There were 54 males and 26 females. The age of the patients ranged from 5 years to 62 years. The duration of leprosy ranged from 15 days to 3 years. The mean serum ADA level in normal controls was 10.31 +/- 0.58 u/L. The serum ADA levels were raised in leprosy patients, significantly so in multibacillary patients. The serum ADA levels were higher in patients of leprosy with reaction. CONCLUSIONS The study showed significantly high serum ADA levels in multibacillary leprosy and this was further increased in patients of leprosy with reaction. This may be because of increased lymphoreticular activity during the reactional phases.