Number of leprosy reactions during treatment: clinical correlations and laboratory diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION:: The occurrence of leprosy reactions, a common event during treatment, may be mostly related to the action of multidrug therapy on Mycobacterium leprae. The clinical and laboratory monitoring of patients with reactions is important, since collecting data that assists in predicting the risk of reactions may help to prevent disability. METHODS:: This was a sectional study, in order to correlate clinical and laboratory diagnosis with the number of reactions during treatment. Spearman's correlation was used to verify the degree of association between the assessed variables. RESULTS:: This study was conducted with 211 patients with leprosy reactions during treatment of M. leprae. The borderline tuberculoid group was the most prevalent clinical form (74/211; 35.1%) and the type one reaction showed the highest frequency (136/211; 64.5%). It was observed that 73.5% (155/211) of reactions occurred within 3 months of the initiation of multidrug therapy. The diagnostic values, including the bacterial indices (BIs) of dermal smears (r = 0.21, p < 0.05) and skin biopsies (r = 0.20; p < 0.05), showed a positive correlation with the number of reactions during treatment. CONCLUSIONS:: This research showed a positive correlation between bacillary load markers and the number of leprosy reactions. This study provided scientific support to future research aiming to elucidate the influence of antigenic load on the number of leprosy reactions during treatment.

Number of leprosy reactions during treatment: clinical correlations and laboratory diagnosis

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of leprosy reactions, a common event during treatment, may be mostly related to the action of multidrug therapy on Mycobacterium leprae. The clinical and laboratory monitoring of patients with reactions is important, since collecting data that assists in predicting the risk of reactions may help to prevent disability. METHODS: This was a sectional study, in order to correlate clinical and laboratory diagnosis with the number of reactions during treatment. Spearman's correlation was used to verify the degree of association between the assessed variables. RESULTS: This study was conducted with 211 patients with leprosy reactions during treatment of M. leprae. The borderline tuberculoid group was the most prevalent clinical form (74/211; 35.1%) and the type one reaction showed the highest frequency (136/211; 64.5%). It was observed that 73.5% (155/211) of reactions occurred within 3 months of the initiation of multidrug therapy. The diagnostic values, including the bacterial indices (BIs) of dermal smears (r = 0.21, p < 0.05) and skin biopsies (r = 0.20; p < 0.05), showed a positive correlation with the number of reactions during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This research showed a positive correlation between bacillary load markers and the number of leprosy reactions. This study provided scientific support to future research aiming to elucidate the influence of antigenic load on the number of leprosy reactions during treatment.

Identification of clinical, epidemiological and laboratory risk factors for leprosy reactions during and after multidrug therapy.

This cross-sectional retrospective study evaluated 440 leprosy patients; 57% (251/440) had leprosy reactions during and/or after multidrug therapy, 80.5% (202/251) of whom presented with multibacillary leprosy. At diagnosis, positive bacterial index (BI) [odds ratio (OR) = 6.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.1-10.1)] or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (OR = 9.15; 95% CI: 5.4-15.5) in skin smears, anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 (anti-PGL-1) ELISA (OR = 4.77; 95% CI: 2.9-7.9), leucocytosis (OR = 9.97; 95% CI: 3.9-25.7), thrombocytopenia (OR = 5.72; 95% CI: 2.3-14.0) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (OR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.4-4.0) were potential markers for the development of reactions during treatment. After treatment, positive BI (OR = 8.47; 95% CI: 4.7-15.3) and PCR (OR = 6.46; 95% CI: 3.4-12.3) in skin smears, anti-PGL-1 ELISA (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.3-3.9), anaemia (OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.2-4.5), leucocytosis (OR = 4.14; 95% CI: 1.5-11.6) and thrombocytopenia (OR = 3.70; 95% CI: 1.3-2.2) were risk factors for the occurrence of reactions during the study period. The identification of groups with an increased risk for developing reactions will allow for the timely development of a treatment plan to prevent nerve damage and, therefore, the appearance of the disabling sequelae associated with the stigma of leprosy.

Identification of clinical, epidemiological and laboratory risk factors for leprosy reactions during and after multidrug therapy

This cross-sectional retrospective study evaluated 440 leprosy patients; 57% (251/440) had leprosy reactions during and/or after multidrug therapy, 80.5% (202/251) of whom presented with multibacillary leprosy. At diagnosis, positive bacterial index (BI) [odds ratio (OR) = 6.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.1-10.1)] or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (OR = 9.15; 95% CI: 5.4-15.5) in skin smears, anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 (anti-PGL-1) ELISA (OR = 4.77; 95% CI: 2.9-7.9), leucocytosis (OR = 9.97; 95% CI: 3.9-25.7), thrombocytopenia (OR = 5.72; 95% CI: 2.3-14.0) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (OR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.4-4.0) were potential markers for the development of reactions during treatment. After treatment, positive BI (OR = 8.47; 95% CI: 4.7-15.3) and PCR (OR = 6.46; 95% CI: 3.4-12.3) in skin smears, anti-PGL-1 ELISA (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.3-3.9), anaemia (OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.2-4.5), leucocytosis (OR = 4.14; 95% CI: 1.5-11.6) and thrombocytopenia (OR = 3.70; 95% CI: 1.3-2.2) were risk factors for the occurrence of reactions during the study period. The identification of groups with an increased risk for developing reactions will allow for the timely development of a treatment plan to prevent nerve damage and, therefore, the appearance of the disabling sequelae associated with the stigma of leprosy.

Gestação na adolescência e suas implicações: projeto de intervenção na Unidade de Saúde Ipanema II em Uberlandia-MG

A gestação na adolescência é um tema relevante para a saúde pública nacional, uma vez que sua ocorrência tem repercussões físicas, psicológicas, emocionais e sociais nos agentes envolvidos e afetam a sociedade como um todo. Por essa razão, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo geralelaborar um projeto de intervenção a ser implantado na unidade de saúde Ipanema II, no município de Uberlândia - MG, a fim de diminuir a prevalência de gestações precoces e melhorar o atendimento às adolescentes grávidas na Estratégia da Saúde da Família. Também se objetivou: discutir o impacto da gravidez na adolescência; identificar fatores que contribuem para ocorrência de gravidez na adolescência; atuar na prevenção de gravidez na adolescência; aumentar o vínculo da adolescente grávida com a Equipe Saúde da Família; promover ações educativas sobre o momento de vulnerabilidade das adolescentes grávidas. Foi realizado um diagnóstico situacional com vistas a contextualizar a questão da gestação precoce na referida unidade. Feito isso, realizou-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica para respaldar a implantação de um projeto de intervenção. Finalmente, foi elaborado um plano de ação, utilizando-se o método PES - Planejamento Estratégico Situacional, instituído pela Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Para a pesquisa bibliográfica foram utilizados bases de dados como Scielo, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde e Lilacs, com os seguintes descritores: gravidez, adolescência, gravidez na adolescência. Também foram consultados artigos, teses e dissertações no idioma português, publicados entre 1995 a 2014. Pôde-se concluir que o Programa Saúde da Família (PSF) tem se mostrado uma ferramenta eficaz para o desenvolvimento de projetos dessa natureza, pois garante aos profissionais da equipe de saúde, especialmente, os Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ACS) um contato direto com as gestantes, conhecimento de sua realidade, do ambiente em que vivem e de suas necessidades reais. Além disso, a interação da equipe de saúde com a gestante possibilita a orientação da adolescente sobre temas como: direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, métodos anticoncepcionais, e cuidados com o recém-nascido. Por fim, foi possível compreender que as ações para melhorar o atendimento às adolescentes em gestação e diminuir novas ocorrências devem pautar-se, necessariamente, na educação