title: Pattern and determinants of ocular complications in leprosy patients in eastern Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  odular complications of leprosy can lead to blindness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to report the pattern and determinants of ocular complications in patients with leprosy from eastern Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  a cross-sectional study was carried out analyzing one hundred and eighty six patients of leprosy presenting between Jan 2002-Nov 2004. All the patients were categorized using WHO and Ridley and Jopling classification. After determining bacillary indices in all of them, a detailed ocular examination was carried out. Independent risk factors were determined for ocular involvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ocular complications were found in 30.65% of the leprosy patients; lagophthalmos (17.74%) was the most frequent followed by uveitis (8.60%). Most of the patients having visual loss had it due to corneal complications and none of the patients with uveitis had vision <6/18. The patients released from treatment (83.33%) and those currently on treatment (31.63%) had higher occurrence of complications. Risk factors for ocular involvement were higher bacillary index, longer disease duration (p-=0.031, RR=1.109, 95% CI=1.009-01.218) and decreased corneal sensation(p=0.001, RR=3.564; 95 % C I=2.014-6.306). Higher Schirmer values (p=0.012, RR=0.935, 95% CI=0.888-0.985) were found to be protective for ocular complications. STASTICS: SPSS ver 10.0 was used for data analysis. The P value of <0.05 was considered as significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the prevalence of complications is high in patients released from treatment for leprosy. Cornea-related complications are the most important cause of visual disability and blindness. Risk factors for ocular complications are higher bacillary index, longer disease duration and decreased corneal sensation.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Ophthalmology, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan, Sunsari, Nepal. ophth_eye@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Javvadhi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agrawal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult