title: Clinical and epidemiological profile of leprosy patients attended at Ceará, 2007-2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leprosy is an infectious chronic condition associated with potentially serious physical, social and psychological impacts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the clinical and epidemiological profile of leprosy patients treated from 2007 to 2011 in the University Hospital of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective and descriptive study. The study population consisted of residents in the state of Ceará treated in a dermatology clinic between 2007-2011. Clinical and epidemiological data analyzed were obtained from medical records and from the database of national Information System for Notifiable Diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  475 cases were analyzed, mostly women (51.8%), aged 45-59 years (35.0%) - mean of 45.2 years at diagnosis - with 6.3% of children under 15 , with low education (73.7%), white color (68.8%), residency in the city of Fortaleza (82.3%), and no defined work occupation (59.6%). At diagnosis, most patients were multibacillary (MB) (65.5%), had borderline clinical form (48.0%), and 22.7% had physical disability (8.0% with grade 2), predominantly in MB cases (p <0.001). We observe worsening of disability in 5.1% of cases post-MDT. The proportion of cases with reactional episodes was 42.7%, mainly during MDT (51.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study conducted in this hospital context, revealing late diagnosis, high burden of disease, hidden endemicity, and high social vulnerability in the state of Ceará. This study reinforces the need to strengthen health care network for timely diagnosis and treatment, aiming at longitudinality of assistance.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Iranilda
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Queirós
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
authors.forename: Alberto Novaes
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique Morais
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Alencar
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
authors.forename: Lorena Dias
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda Lima
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sena
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) - Fortaleza (CE), Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline Caracas
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barbosa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult