1. Long-term prognosis of patients treated for erythema migrans in France.
- Author
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Lipsker D, Antoni-Bach N, Hansmann Y, and Jaulhac B
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Amoxicillin therapeutic use, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Borrelia burgdorferi isolation & purification, Child, Erythema Chronicum Migrans diagnosis, Erythema Chronicum Migrans microbiology, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Penicillins therapeutic use, Prognosis, Prospective Studies, Tetracyclines, Treatment Outcome, Erythema Chronicum Migrans drug therapy
- Abstract
Background: The long-term prognosis of patients treated for erythema migrans has only rarely been assessed., Objectives: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of patients treated for erythema migrans in the region of Alsace, France., Methods: In a prospective study, 56 consecutive patients presenting with erythema migrans at the Strasbourg University Hospital between 1995 and 1999 were examined and a Borrelia burgdorferi enzyme immunoassay was performed. Patients were treated with tetracyclines or amoxycillin. Patients were re-examined 6 weeks later and a telephone interview was performed in summer 2000 to evaluate the long-term outcome., Results: There were 25 women and 31 men of mean age 49 years presenting with single (n = 54) or multiple (n = 2) erythema migrans lesions. At the time of diagnosis, 30% of the patients had systemic signs, myalgias or arthralgias and only 36% of 50 patients were seroreactive against B. burgdorferi. None of the 51 patients evaluated at 6 weeks and none of the 37 patients interviewed after a median delay of 3 years had developed complications attributable to Lyme borreliosis., Conclusions: The prognosis of patients treated for Lyme borreliosis in this part of France is excellent. Therefore, a complete clinical examination is sufficient as an initial evaluation and long-term follow-up is not necessary.
- Published
- 2002
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