Polyethylene glycol precipitates in serum during and after erythema nodosum leprosum--study of their composition and anticomplementary activity.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitates obtained from sera were characterized and quantitated in 20 borderline lepromatous (BL) and polar lepromatous (LL) patients with moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) before and four weeks after treatment with anti-ENL drugs, e.g., cortisone, clofazimine, chloroquine, or aspirin. Although the clinical severity of ENL subsided, there was no significant clearance of material that precipitates with PEG from the circulation. These precipitates had variable anticomplementary properties.