Comparative Study of Lipid Profile in Multibacillary and Paucibacillary Leprosy Patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the lipid profile in Multibacillary and Paucibacillary leprosy subjects and compare them with age and sex matched healthy control subjects. Materials and Methods: This observational study was performed after approval from BASR, University of Karachi in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, from December 2014 to November, 2015. Present study was conducted in 42 newly diagnosed leprosy patients of both sexes and all ages were included in this study. The diagnosis were on clinical ground and bacterial examination by slit skin smear test, and are classified in two groups, Paucibacillary (PB) and Multibacillary (MB), based on the WHO guide lines. 1-5 skin lesions were regarded as PB with no acid fast rods on the smear and skin lesions more than 5 were regarded as MB. A positive bacterial index classifies the patient as MB, regardless of the number of skin lesions with bacteria visible on a smear. Results: A total of 30 control subjects and 42 leprosy patients among 24 Multibacillary and 18 Paucibacillary leprosy were recruited for this study. Biophysical parameters in Multibacillary and Paucibacillary subjects were completely non significant when compared with control group.In biochemical parameters among Multibacillary and Paucibacillary leprosy cases, all the lipid fractions total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL -cholesterol were significantly decreased (p<0.05) but HDL –cholesterol significantly increased (p<0.05) in both Multibacillary and Paucibacillary leprosy groups when compared with control group. Conclusion: This study showed that, all the lipid fractions except HDL cholesterol were decreased significantly (p<0.05), where as HDL Cholesterol was increased significantly (p<0.05) in both Multibacillary and Paucibacillary leprosy groups when compared with control group.