Comparison of the efficacy of local thermotherapy versus Glucantime® in the treatment of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis: a pilot study

This pilot study is the first in Iran that evaluates the effectiveness of thermotherapy compared to intralesional Glucantime® in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica. Forty patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis were separated into two groups, each consisting of 20 patients. The control group received intralesional Glucantime® weekly for 8 weeks, while the other group received a single session of thermotherapy for each lesion using ThermoMedTM model 1.8. The patients were monitored for 6 months, during which the outcomes were evaluated by considering the dimensions, consistency, and rates of remission of the lesions. The terms "initial remission" and "complete remission" were clearly defined, and any instances of therapy failure were documented. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 24.0, employing independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and ANOVA. Both treatment groups exhibited considerable decreases in lesion size and enhanced texture, with no statistically significant differences. Nevertheless, the group that underwent thermotherapy demonstrated a more significant decrease in lesion size and improvement in texture after 6 months. The remission rates were similar; however, Glucantime® achieved a faster remission. No significant side effects were recorded in either group. The present study showed that thermotherapy was equally effective as intralesional Glucantime® in treating anthroponotic leishmaniasis. Thermotherapy can be considered as an alternative, especially when Glucantime® cannot be used, even though it requires further research.