Vahid Mashayekhi Goyonlo; Hossein Hassan Abadi; Hanieh Zandi; Jamshid Jamali; Yalda Nahidi; Ahmad Reza Taheri; Bita Kiafar
Abstract
Background: The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis has long been a challenge. The application of heat to the lesions has been described in some studies, with no consensus regarding the types of thermotherapy and their practical implications.We sought to evaluate the efficacy of infrared thermotherapy ...
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Background: The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis has long been a challenge. The application of heat to the lesions has been described in some studies, with no consensus regarding the types of thermotherapy and their practical implications.We sought to evaluate the efficacy of infrared thermotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: We evaluated the results of infrared thermotherapy in 35 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients (53 lesions) who attended the leishmaniasis clinic of Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Three times a week, the lesions were warmed to 45 degrees centigrade for two cycles of 10 minutes. Treatment outcomes were classified as complete (90-100%), good (50-89%), and poor responses (less than 50% size reduction). Results: Thirteen (24.5%) lesions were cured after three months; 31 (58.5%) and 9 (17%) lesions showed good and poor responses, respectively. Treatment outcomes were significantly related to the number of treatment sessions (P ≤ 0.05). No significant side effects were seen. Conclusion: Infrared thermotherapy is a relatively effective and well-tolerated treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Yalda Nahidi; Vahid Mashayekhi Goyonlo; Pouran Layegh; Hoda Marhamati; Mona Najaf Najafi
Abstract
Background: Zinc is an effective factor in the immune response against infectious agents; its effect on the course of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is unknown. This study aimed to compare the serum zinc level in patients with acute and chronic CL. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 120 CL cases ...
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Background: Zinc is an effective factor in the immune response against infectious agents; its effect on the course of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is unknown. This study aimed to compare the serum zinc level in patients with acute and chronic CL. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 120 CL cases and controls. This included 30 cases of acute CL (less than one year of lesion recovery), 30 cases of chronic CL (period of illness over one year), and 60 healthy subjects with age and gender proportional to the patients. Volunteers entered the study with knowledge and consent. The serum zinc level was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: The percentages of people with reduced serum zinc levels in the healthy, acute, and chronic groups were 13.3, 50, and 43.3%, respectively, whereby there was a significant difference between the leishmaniasis groups (acute and chronic) and the control group (p <0.001). However, the mean serum zinc level did not differ significantly between the acute (75.36 ± 15.72 µg/dl) and chronic (73.96 ± 17.98 µg/dl) leishmaniasis groups (P=0.94). Conclusions: A reduced serum zinc level is associated with symptomatic CL, but does not affect the clinical outcome and recovery.
