Neural complications and physical disabilities in leprosy in a capital of northeastern Brazil with high endemicity.
BACKGROUND
Leprosy is an infectious disease whose etiologic agent is Mycobacterium leprae, manifested by dermatological and neurological signs and symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate neural changes and the degree of physical disability in the eyes, hands and feet before and after treatment, as well as sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients affected by leprosy.


METHODS
A longitudinal epidemiological study comprising 155 patients with leprosy, from a spontaneous demand, diagnosed between March 2010 and February 2011, and treated with multidrug therapy (MDT) between March 2010 and July 2012 in a program for leprosy eradication in São Luis (MA), Brazil.


RESULTS
Before treatment, 46.5% of patients were considered as borderline, 51.6% had some alteration in the eyes and 52.3% in the feet, and the radial nerve (18.7%) was the most affected. There was a statistically significant difference between the changes in the radial nerve at the beginning of and after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis points to late diagnosis, as some patients have had abnormal neural and physical disabilities before treatment.
Universidade Ceuma, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Ana Eugênia Ribeiro de
AE
Araujo e Araújo
Department of Nursing, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Dorlene Maria Cardoso de
DM
Aquino
Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Isabela Maria Bernardes
IM
Goulart
Department of Biology, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Silma Regina Ferreira
SR
Pereira
Department of Medicine II, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Ivan Abreu
IA
Figueiredo
Department of Medicine II, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Humberto Oliveira
HO
Serra
Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Poliana Cristina de Almeida
PC
Fonseca
Universidade Ceuma, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Arlene de Jesus Mendes
Ade J
Caldas
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult