title: Disabilities in multibacillary leprosy patients: before, during and after multidrug therapy.
abstract: One hundred fifty-one patients (125 males and 26 females) of multibacillary leprosy (LL 88, BL 40, BB 23), registered during 1986-1992 for multidrug therapy (MDT), were analysed with reference to their disabilities before, during and after MDT. At induction 48 (31.7%) had no disability (Gr 0), 59 (39.0%) had only peripheral anaesthesia (Gr 1) and 44 (29.1%) had Gr 2 and 3 deformities with or without anaesthesia. The parallel analysis of the three groups, with nearly equal duration of symptoms, revealed that new deformities developed in only a few cases during and after MDT, least in the Gr 0 group. The crude fresh deformity incidence was 59.2 per 1,000 person years of observation. The rate of recovery from anaesthesia was higher (64%) in Gr 1 group than that (44%) in group with Gr 2, 3 deformities. No significant difference was observed between the incidence of Gr 2 deformities developed before, during and after MDT (incidence of claw-hands 9.2% before and 7.9% during and after MDT, trophic ulcers 13.9% before and 17.8% during and after MDT). Out of 19 cases which developed motor weakness during MDT and follow-up, 10 (52.6%) were instances of quite nerve paralysis. Occupational factors influenced the development of deformities but not the sex and bacterial load. Generally, the lower the Grade of disability at induction of patient for MDT, the lower the chances of new disability development and higher the chances of recovery from sensory impairments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, STD and Leprosy; Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Beena
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Narayan
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005531:Foot Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015994:Incidence; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009443:Neuritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents