Trials of daily, long-term minocycline and rifampin or clarithromycin and rifampin in the treatment of borderline lepromatous and lepromatous leprosy.

Daily, long-term treatment with minocycline 100 mg and rifampin 600 mg was initiated in 24 previously untreated borderline lepromatous (BL) and lepromatous (LL) patients for a total of 646 patient-months, averaging 26.9 months per patient. The same regimen was started in 12 BL and LL patients having a bacteriologic relapse for a total of 379 patient-months, averaging 32.5 months per patient, and in 12 patients judged to be at high risk for relapse for a total of 354 patient-months, averaging 29.5 months per patient. Daily, long-term treatment with clarithromycin 500 mg and rifampin 600 mg was initiated in 8 previously untreated BL and LL patients for a total of 174 patient-months, averaging 21.8 months per patient. The results in these 56 patients were compared to those obtained in 34 previously untreated BL and LL patients who were treated concurrently receiving daily, long-term dapsone 100 mg and rifampin 600 mg. No evidence of dangerous drug reactions or bone marrow, kidney or liver toxicity was seen in any of these five patient groups. Drug intolerance in 10 of the 90 patients studied necessitated discontinuing the chosen regimen, 4 from rifampin, 3 from dapsone, 2 from minocycline and 1 of undetermined attribution. The use of either minocycline or clarithromycin in conjunction with rifampin appears to pose no great risk when used long term.