Comparison of Healing Effects of Local Injection of Glucantime with or without Trichloroacetic Acid 50% in Cutaneous Leshmaniasis

The residual scar of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), an endemic disease in Iran, could tend to a major psychologic problem for the patients. Based on the efficacy of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) in the treatment of some dermatologic scars, this study was designed to assess the efficacy of combined intralesional Meglumin Antimuan (MA) and TCA compared to MA alone for treatment of CL lesions and its remnant scar. 200 patients with confirmed CL referring to Skin Disease and Leishmaniasis Research Center were randomized into two treatment groups. Both groups were treated with intralesional injection of MA twice a week until complete healing of the lesion or up to 8 weeks. In combination therapy group, TCA was applied to the lesions fortnightly up to week 8. Data were analyzed using SPSS11 software. There was no significant difference in lesion area change between two groups after treatment but a significant difference in time to complete cure with accelerated healing rate in the combination therapy group (P < 0.05). Combination therapy of intralesional MA and TCA-50% could accelerate healing of CL lesions. Topical TCA could be suggested as an adjuvant therapy to decrease the healing time of the lesions in CL patients. Although there was not any side effect due to TCA in the treated patients of this study, because of some complications of topical TCA (such as hyperpigmentationa and scarring) further studies with longer follow up needed to evaluate the final effect of TCA in the CL lesions treatment.