Neuropathic pain in leprosy: symptom profile characterization and comparison with neuropathic pain of other etiologies.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies reported a high prevalence of neuropathic pain in leprosy, being especially present in "pharmacologically cured" patients. The presence of neuropathic pain in leprosy poses a supplementary burden in patient's quality of life, daily activities, and mood. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess whether neuropathic pain in leprosy has similar symptom profile as neuropathic pain of other etiologies and to retrospectively assess the efficacy of neuropathic pain medications regularly prescribed to leprosy. METHODS: Leprosy and nonleprosy patients had their neuropathic pain characterized by the neuropathic pain symptom inventory (NPSI, ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being the maximal neuropathic pain intensity) in a first visit. In a second visit, leprosy patients who had significant pain and received pharmacological treatment in the first evaluation were reassessed (NPSI) and had their pain profile and treatment response further characterized, including information on drugs prescribed for neuropathic pain and their respective pain relief. RESULTS: The pain characteristics based on NPSI did not significantly differ between leprosy and nonleprosy neuropathic pain patients in visit 1 after correction for multiple analyses, and cluster analyses confirmed these findings (ie, no discrimination between leprosy and nonleprosy groups; Pearson χ2 = 0.072, P = 0.788). The assessment of pain relief response and the drugs taken by each patient, linear regression analysis showed that amitriptyline, when effective, had the highest percentage of analgesic relief. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropathic pain in leprosy is as heterogeneous as neuropathic pain of other etiologies, further supporting the concept that neuropathic pain is a transetiological entity. Neuropathic pain in leprosy may respond to drugs usually used to control pain of neuropathic profile in general, and amitriptiline may constitute a potential candidate drug for future formal clinical trials aimed at controlling neuropathic pain in leprosy.

Neuropathic pain in leprosy.

Nerve impairment is a key clinical aspect of leprosy and may present the distribution of mononeuropathy or multiple nerve trunks, small cutaneous nerve fibers, and free nerve endings. The clinical range of leprosy is determined by individual cell-mediated immune response to infection that also may play a role in different types of pain syndromes in leprosy. Previous studies reported a high prevalence of neuropathic pain in leprosy. In an Ethiopian study with 48 patients, pure nociceptive pain was experienced by 43% of patients and pure neuropathic pain (NeP) by 11% of patients. In an Indian study, 21.8% of leprosy patients had pain with neuropathic characteristics. These rates underlie the need to develop tools for the early diagnosis and detection of infection and its complications, such as nerve damage and pain. In a larger sample with leprosy-associated NeP (n = 90), we have applied the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4) and found sensitivity = 97.1% and specificity = 57.9%. The high sensitivity of this tool in leprosy patients suggests that it could be a valuable tool to screen for neuropathic pain in this population and could be used as part of health care programs aimed at detecting, treating, and rehabilitating leprosy in endemic areas.

Neuropathic pain in leprosy patients.

The introduction of multidrug therapy by the World Health Organization has dramatically reduced the world prevalence of leprosy but the disease is still a public health problem in many countries, with a world prevalence of almost 600,000 cases in 2001. Damage to peripheral nerves is a key component of leprosy and the sensory and motor loss that follows is the basis for many of the classical features of this disease, such as skin wounds, cracks, plantar ulcers, clawed hands, drop foot, and incomplete closure of the eyelids. One of the most remarkable aspects of leprosy to lay persons and health care workers alike is that patients are reputed to feel no pain. However, neuropathic pain is arising as a major problem among leprosy patients. It can be nociceptive due to tissue inflammation, which mostly occurs during episodes of immune activation or neuropathic due to damage or dysfunction of the nervous system. This study, conducted among 358 leprosy patients, reveals a considerable prevalence of neuropathic pain and presents evidence that this common problem should be a high priority of those in charge of leprosy control programs.

Estudo do ramo superficial do nervo radial, através do exame clínico pela palpaçao e anatômico (macro e microscópico), em contribuiçao ao diagnóstico da hanseníase / ?

Este trabalho objetiva contribuir para o diagnóstico da hanseníase e avaliar a possibilidade de falseamento nos resultados do exame, através da palpaçao do ramo superficial do nervo radial (RSNR), devido às suas relaçoes anatômicas. Estudaram-se os resultados obtidos por três médicos, ao exame à palpaçao do RSNR, em 70 membros superiores de 25 portadores de haseníase e de 10 controles. Todos os indivíduos examinados eram do sexo masculino e adultos. As verificaçoes quanto ao espessamento, consistência e forma do RSNR foram submetidos à análise estatística para avaliar a concordância inter-examinadores, segundo a estatística Kappa, e associaçao, pelo teste do qui-quadrado. Também foram efetuadas observaçoes anatômicas macro e microscópicas das relaçoes do ramo de maior espessura

Avaliacao funcional do amputado de membro inferior ao final do processo de reeducacao da marcha com protese / Functional evaluation of the amputated one of inferior member to the end of the process of re-education of the march with prosthesis

O tratamento fisioterapico do amputado de membro inferior tem como objetivo levar o paciente a recuperar o maximo de sua capacidade funcional. Neste trabalho propomos um protocolo de avaliacao funcional do paciente, ao final do processo de reeducacao da marcha, segundo as habilidades, dificuldades, limitacoes e expectativas do paciente

Resultados da correçäo cirúrgica do lagoftalmo (técnica de Gillies) em doentes de hanseníase / Results of surgical correction of lagophthalmos (Gillies technique) in leprosy patients

Foram analisados os resultados de 51 cirurgias de transferência do músculo temporal (Técnica de Gillies), realizadas em 34 pacientes com lagoftalmo. O principal objetivo foi avaliar a extensao e o tempo para recuperaçao da oclusao palpebral voluntária e o efeito estático da técnica sobre a pálpebra inferior, nos casos com ectrópio parcial e epífora. Em 34 (66.67 por cento) olhos houve recuperaçao completa e duradoura da oclusao palpebral voluntária. As medianas dos tempos para obtençao de fendapalpebral zero, ao morder, foram de 8 dias (l - 120) nos casos do grupo excelente e de 14 dias (l - 120) nos casos do grupo bom. A correçao do ectrópio parcial e epífora foi constatada em 15 (83,33 por cento) olhos. A recuperaçao da oclusao palpebral voluntária e a reposiçao da pálpebra inferior, observada na maioria dos casos, confirmam a efetividade da técnica de Gillies para correçao do lagoftalmo.

Adequaçäo de procedimentos de instrumentalizaçäo de dados em prevençäo e tratamento de incapacidades físicas em hanseníase / Procedures adjustement of data instrumentalization in prevention and treatment of physical disabilities in leprosy

A partir das lesöes detectadas em inquérito multicêntrico recente em nosso meio, procede-se a apresentaçäo e discussäo dos instrumentos disponíveis para registro de dados em prevençäo e tratamentos das incapacidades físicas em hanseníase. Aprecia-se a ficha de classificaçäo recomendada pela Organizaçäo Mundial da Saúde e amplia-se, a seguir, a discussäo para o instrumento utilizado na investigaçäo brasileira. Säo conotadas particularmente sua potencialidade e adequaçäo para detectar e documentar lesöes mais precoces e inconspícuas.

Prevençäo e tratamento das incapacidades físicas em hanseníase no Brasil: estudo de risco profissional específico para a doença / Prevention and treatment of physical disabilities in Hansen's disease in Brazil: study of specific professional risk for the disease

Em continuidade à linha de pesquisa relacionada à inserçäo das práticas de prevençäo e tratamento das incapacidades físicas em hanseníase em programas de controle da moléstia, apresentam-se na presente comunicaçäo resultados referentes ao risco profissional específico para a doença, decorrentes de dados obtidos em recente investigaçäo multicêntrica de nível nacional. A partir de 416 profissionais e 69 unidades sanitárias, averigaram-se 179 doentes de diferentes formas clínicas. Tomando-se como indicador de mobilidade social a condiçäo sócio-profissional (se economicamente ativo ou dependente e suas diferentes modalidades), as associaçöes foram testadas pelo emprego da estatística x2 de Pearson. Os resultados obtidos revelaram significância estatística ao nível de 5%, entre as variáveis investigadas, tanto na primeira quanto na segunda mensuraçäo específica