[Leprosy reactions in discharged patients following cure by multidrug therapy].

INTRODUCTION Reactional states are the main cause of nerve lesions and incapacities provoked by leprosy. METHODS Retrospective study aimed at verifying the frequency of leprosy reactions in discharged patients following cure by multidrug therapy (MDT). RESULTS Among patients who presented reactions during treatment, 35.5% continued after MDT; of those that did not present during treatment, only 12.7% presented after discharge; 63.4% multibacillary patients presented during and 31.7% after; 27.7% paucibacillary patients presented during and 8.3% after. CONCLUSIONS A direct proportional relation exists between the presence of reactions during and after treatment. Multibacillary clinical forms present a greater frequency of reactions during and after cure.