title: [Detecting and monitoring leprosy neuropathy: which test to chose?].
abstract: The purpose of the study is to propose a simple and reproducible test for assessing nerve damage in leprosy. It is applied to the sensory branch of the radial nerve of leprosy patients, prior to any treatment. Skin sensitivity is measured by means of a needle, a drop of ether and some calibrated filaments. These three tests are collated and compared with the results of electromyographic examination of the nerve. The filament calibrated to 0.2 grams gives optimum sensitivity (0.79) and excellent specificity (0.95) in relation to the electromyographic test. Its routine use in the field is simple and reproducible and should result in a greater number of patients receiving the treatment they need.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Léprologie Appliquée de Dakar, Sénégal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grimaud
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verchaud
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diop
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Millan
mesh_terms: D000047:Academies and Institutes; D001706:Biopsy / Q000592:standards; D004576:Electromyography / Q000592:standards; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications*; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*
vernacular_title: Dépister et surveiller une neuropathie hansénienne: quel test choisir?