Pharmacogenetic studies of response to treatment erythema nodosum leprosum

Leprosy Mailing List – October 9^th, 2010

Ref.:   Pharmacogenetic studies of response to treatment erythema nodosum leprosumFrom: Lavinia Schuler Faccini, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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Dear Salvatore,

Can you send this message about a project we are initiating in Brazil ?

Thanks,
Lavinia

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PHARMACOGENETIC STUDIES OF RESPONSE TO TREATMENT

ERYTHEMA NODOSUM LEPROSUM

The most used drugs in the Brazilian practice for the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) are thalidomide and prednisone.  Clinical trials show that thalidomide besides being more effective in reducing symptoms also generates a faster response. However, it is not widely used because of teratogenicity and peripheral neuropathy. The treatment with prednisone is the best known and always used in cases of neural involvement, but has the disadvantage of very long treatment with significant adverse effects.
Based on the limitations of both treatments, we are developing a pharmacogenetic study in which we are testing genetic polymorphisms involved in the thalidomide and prednisone's metabolic pathway.  Our goal is to evaluate if there is genetic differences between individuals in the response to treatment of ENL with these two drugs (both with respect to clinical response as adverse effects).  In that way, we aim in the future to be able  to predict which patients might benefit more with each medication or, on the other side, be more prone to adverse effects.  Thus, we are asking Brazilian centers with patients undergoing treatment for ENL using some of these drugs to collaborate in this research.  For those interested we ask to write to:

fslvianna(at)gmail.com
Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna

or

lavinia.faccini(at)ufrgs.br
Dr. Lavinia Schüler-Faccini
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL