Dolor neuropático en pacientes afectados por la lepra / No disponible

Algunos pacientes con lepra pueden sufrir dolor crónico o dolor neuropático, tras el éxito del tratamiento. La prevalencia oscila entre un 17% y un 70% de los antiguos pacientes leprosos. El dolor neuropático se asocia con un deterioro de la calidad de vida de los pacientes y conlleva un elevado agravamiento de la morbilidad psicológica propia de los pacientes con lepra. El manejo de los pacientes con dolor neuropático puede requerir los servicios de salud durante muchos años y un elevado consumo de analgésicos

Some leprosy patients may suffer chronic pain or neuropathic pain after successful treatment. The prevalence ranges between 17% and 70 % of former leprosy patients. Neuropathic pain is associated with deterioration in the quality of life of patients and involves high worsening own psychological morbidity of patients with leprosy. The management of patients with neuropathic pain may require health services for many years and a high consumption of analgesic drugs

Hand deformity and sensory loss due to Hansens disease in American Samoa

We report the prevalence of sensory loss and hand deformity in 63 patients with Hansen's disease in American Samoa. Open ulceration, the most common deformity, was present in 41% of patients; sensory abnormalities were present in 54% and were bilateral in 65%. The presence of abnormal sensibility correlated with a high percentage of other deformities. Hand abnormalities were most prevalent in lepromatous patients and were related to a prolonged duration of disease. Nerve thickening did not appear to be a helpful clinical finding to assess the degree of sensory loss.

Rehabilitation of the paralytic drop foot in Hansens disease

Drop foot, resulting from paralysis of the deep branch of the common peroneal nerve, is a frequent complication of patients with Hansen's disease(leprosy).

Peripheral nerve involvement in leprosy: quantitative histologic aspects

1. Nerve biopsies in three lepromatous and three dimorphous leprosy patients are reported. Bacilli were found in all three lepromatous nerves, and in one dimorphous nerve. Bacilli were present in cutaneous nerve twigs in all six patients. 2. Myelinated fiber counts were severly reduced in four patients. Large fibers were affected to a greater extent than small fibers. 3. Evidence of widespread segmental demyelination with remyelination was present. Wallerian degeneration was not found. 4. Schwann cell involvement with subsequent segmental demyelination appears to be an important event in the pathogenesis os leprous neuritis.

The early diagnosis of leprosy: the first clinical findings observed in segregated children of leprous parents

A discussion is presented of the desirability of the early diagnosis of leprosy, in which (a) it is pointed out that the incidence and commmunicability of the disease have not been determined, and (b) it is suggested that the knowledge of its epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment may be advanced by the recognition and study of its earlier phases. The clinical findings of early cases are outlined, and emphasis is placed on the fact that in the early stages of the disease there may be only minor neurological findings, and that the skin lesions which may or may not be evident in these stages are often of short duration and cannot be regarded as specific to leprosy. One hundred and eight children born of leprous parents, and subsequently maintained in an institution segregated from contact with leprous persons, were observed for a period of three years. Ten of these children have developed leprosy. The first clinical findings noted and the subsequent evolution of the disease are indicated, and are exemplified by notes of three cases.