[Delay in leprosy diagnosis as a predictor of disability in a cohort of patients in Colombia, 2000-2010]. / Retraso en el diagnóstico de lepra como factor pronóstico de discapacidad en una cohorte de pacientes en Colombia, 2000-2010.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate predictive factors of disability at time of leprosy diagnosis in a cohort of Colombian patients, from 2000 to 2010. METHODS: Descriptive and analytical observational study of a retrospective cohort of patients admitted with a leprosy diagnosis to the Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta in Bogotá, Colombia, from 2000 to 2010. Variables were analyzed descriptively and predictive factors for disability at diagnosis were identified through simple and multifactorial analyses (Cox proportional hazards model); hazard ratios for each factor in the model were calculated. RESULTS: Time between first symptoms and diagnosis in the 333 cohort patients was 2.9 years on average; 32.3% had certain degree of disability, especially for the feet. Delay in diagnosis and disability was greater in men than in women and in patients with multibacillary rather than paucibacillary leprosy. Disability was significantly associated with delays of ≥ 1 year in diagnosis, age ≥ 30 years, initial bacillary index of ≥ 2, multibacillary leprosy, and natives of the Cundinamarca or Santander departments. Protective factors were female sex, having some education, and residence in Boyacá. CONCLUSIONS: Time between first symptoms and diagnosis is the key predictive factor of disability at time of leprosy diagnosis. Strengthening of active searching for infected people and promotion of early diagnosis are recommended.

Retraso en el diagnóstico de lepra como factor pronóstico de discapacidad en una cohorte de pacientes en Colombia, 2000 - 2010 / Delay in leprosy diagnosis as a predictor of disability in a cohort of patients in Colombia, 2000 - 2010

OBJETIVO: Evaluar los factores pronósticos de la presencia de discapacidad al momento del diagnóstico de lepra en una cohorte de pacientes colombianos de 2000 a 2010. MÉTODOS: Estudio analítico y observacional descriptivo de una cohorte retrospectiva de pacientes ingresados con diagnóstico de lepra en el Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta, de Bogotá, Colombia, entre 2000 y 2010. Se realizó el análisis descriptivo de las variables y se identificaron factores pronósticos de la presencia de discapacidad al momento del diagnóstico mediante análisis simple y multifactorial (modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox); se calcularon las razones de riesgo (hazard ratio) para cada uno de los factores incluidos en el modelo. RESULTADOS: El tiempo entre los primeros síntomas y el diagnóstico en los 333 pacientes de la cohorte fue en promedio 2,9 años; 32,3% de ellos tenían algún grado de discapacidad, especialmente en los pies. Hubo una mayor proporción de retraso en el diagnóstico y discapacidad en hombres que en mujeres y en pacientes con lepra multibacilar que con paucibacilar. La discapacidad se asoció significativamente con demoras ≥ 1 año en el diagnóstico, edad ≥ 30 años, índice baciloscópico inicial ≥ 2, lepra multibacilar y proceder de Cundinamarca o Santander. Los factores protectores fueron ser del sexo femenino, tener algún grado de escolaridad y residir en Boyacá. CONCLUSIONES: El tiempo entre los primeros síntomas y el diagnóstico constituye el factor pronóstico clave de la discapacidad al momento del diagnóstico de lepra. Se recomienda reforzar la búsqueda activa de personas infectadas y promover el diagnóstico precoz.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate predictive factors of disability at time of leprosy diagnosis in a cohort of Colombian patients, from 2000 to 2010. METHODS: Descriptive and analytical observational study of a retrospective cohort of patients admitted with a leprosy diagnosis to the Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta in Bogotá, Colombia, from 2000 to 2010. Variables were analyzed descriptively and predictive factors for disability at diagnosis were identified through simple and multifactorial analyses (Cox proportional hazards model); hazard ratios for each factor in the model were calculated. RESULTS: Time between first symptoms and diagnosis in the 333 cohort patients was 2.9 years on average; 32.3% had certain degree of disability, especially for the feet. Delay in diagnosis and disability was greater in men than in women and in patients with multibacillary rather than paucibacillary leprosy. Disability was significantly associated with delays of ≥ 1 year in diagnosis, age ≥ 30 years, initial bacillary index of ≥ 2, multibacillary leprosy, and natives of the Cundinamarca or Santander departments. Protective factors were female sex, having some education, and residence in Boyacá. CONCLUSIONS: Time between first symptoms and diagnosis is the key predictive factor of disability at time of leprosy diagnosis. Strengthening of active searching for infected people and promotion of early diagnosis are recommended.