by Erber AC, Arana B, Salah AB, Bennis I, Boukthir A, del Mar Castro Noriega M, Cissé M, Fernandes Cota G, Handjani F, López-Carvajal L, Marsh K, Martínez Medina D, Plugge E, Lang T, Olliaro P. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2020, 14(2): e0007996. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007996
Summary: Cutaneous leishmaniasis often affects exposed skin areas and may leave lifelong scars when healed. In the development of treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis, patients’ expectations are rarely taken into consideration. Based on in-depth interviews with 74 patients with confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis, the authors present patients’ preferred outcomes for cutaneous leishmaniasis and an assessment of how to consider these when conducting trials. In addition to the outcomes usually considered (e.g. lesion appearance and adverse events), patients raised issues related to quality of life, such as pain, scar formation, and outcomes that affect daily activities. They reported fears about getting rid of the parasite, disease recurrence, and possible sequelae. The authors also discuss how these reported outcomes could be addressed in clinical care.
