Genomewide expression profiling from peripheral blood of multibacillary leprosy and Erythema Nodosum Leprosum (ENL) before and after thalidomide treatment.

Acute inflammatory episodes are common in leprosy and complicate the course of the disease. Among these episodes, Erythema Nodosum Leprosum (ENL) is more common in multibacillary patients and can cause more systemic symptoms like fever, myalgia, edema, and pain. Today, ENL is managed with thalidomide and corticosteroids, yet the exact mechanisms behind ENL remain elusive and with few pharmacological options available. In this experiment, RNA was sequenced and gene expression was measured from the blood of multibacillary patients with and without ENL in a mixed design, comparing ENL to MB and ENL before and after thalidomide treatment for 7 days. Overall design: 37 human blood samples (statistical unit) were included. The sample size for each group are: 9 MB, 15 ENL, and 13 Thalidomide, including both sexes and with age ranging from 17 to 78 years (mean age in years = 42).