Assessment of neuropathic pain in leprosy patients with relapse or treatment failure by infrared thermography: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the main complications of leprosy, and its management is challenging. Infrared thermography (IRT) has been shown to be effective in the evaluation of peripheral autonomic function resulting from microcirculation flow changes in painful syndromes. This study used IRT to map the skin temperature on the hands and feet of leprosy patients with NP. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This cross-sectional study included 20 controls and 55 leprosy patients, distributed into 29 with NP (PWP) and 26 without NP (PNP). Thermal images of the hands and feet were captured with infrared camera and clinical evaluations were performed. Electroneuromyography (ENMG) was used as a complementary neurological exam. Instruments used for the NP diagnosis were visual analog pain scale (VAS), Douleur Neuropathic en 4 questions (DN4), and simplified neurological assessment protocol. The prevalence of NP was 52.7%. Pain intensity showed that 93.1% of patients with NP had moderate/severe pain. The most frequent DN4 items in individuals with NP were numbness (86.2%), tingling (86.2%) and electric shocks (82.7%). Reactional episodes type 1 were statistically significant in the PWP group. Approximately 81.3% of patients showed a predominance of multiple mononeuropathy in ENMG, 79.6% had sensory loss, and 81.4% showed some degree of disability. The average temperature in the patients' hands and feet was slightly lower than in the controls, but without a significant difference. Compared to controls, all patients showed significant temperature asymmetry in almost all points assessed on the hands, except for two palmar points and one dorsal point. In the feet, there was significant asymmetry in all points, indicating a greater involvement of the lower limbs. CONCLUSION: IRT confirmed the asymmetric pattern of leprosy neuropathy, indicating a change in the function of the autonomic nervous system, and proving to be a useful method in the approach of pain.

[Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Depression and Eating Disorders in Patients Submitted to Bariatric Surgery]. / Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2, Depressão e Alterações do Comportamento Alimentar em Doentes Submetidos a Cirurgia Bariátrica.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is associated with a great number of complications, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and psychiatric pathology. Bariatric surgery is the best solution to weight loss and improvement of complications in morbid obese patients. This study aims to analyze the evolution of type 2 diabetes mellitus and psychopathologic variables before and after bariatric surgery and assess the importance of different variables in weight loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a longitudinal study, which evaluates 75 patients before and after bariatric surgery (47 - LAGB - laparoscopic adjustable gastric band; 19 - RYGB - Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; 9 - sleeve) with a follow-up time between 18 and 46 months. A clinical interview and self report questionnaires were applied - Eating Disorder Examination questionnaire - EDE-Q and Beck Depression Inventory - BDI. RESULTS: Results show an improvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus after surgery (X2 (1) = 26.132, p < 0.001). There was not a significant improvement among psychiatric pathology when we controlled the analysis for the type of surgery. It was verified that type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression and eating disorders in post-operative period are associated with less weight loss. This model explains 27% of weight variance after surgery (R2 = 0.265) and it is significant F (3.33) = 2.981, p = 0.038. DISCUSSION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, psychiatric pathology and eating disorders after surgery influenced weight loss. It was not clear in what way this relation was verified, neither the relation that these metabolic and psychological variables may have during the postoperative period. CONCLUSION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus improved after surgery. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression and eating disorders influenced weight loss in the postoperative period. These variables did not influence weight loss in the preoperative period.

Introdução: A obesidade associa-se a um elevado número de comorbilidades, entre as quais a diabetes mellitus tipo 2 e a patologia psiquiátrica. A cirurgia bariátrica tem demonstrado ser a melhor solução para a perda de peso e a melhoria das complicações nos casos de obesidade mórbida. O objetivo deste estudo é o de analisar a evolução da diabetes mellitus tipo 2 e de variáveis psicopatológicas antes e depois da cirurgia bariátrica e verificar o seu impacto na perda de peso. Material e Métodos: É um estudo longitudinal, que avalia 75 indivíduos antes e depois de serem submetidos a cirurgia bariátrica (47 - banda gástrica; 19 - bypass Roux-en-Y gástrico; 9 - sleeve gástrico), com tempo de follow-up entre 18 e 46 meses. Os instrumentos de avaliação foram a entrevista clínica e os questionários Eating Disorder Examination questionnaire - EDE-Q e Beck Depression Inventory - BDI. Resultados: Verificou-se melhoria relativamente à variável dicotómica diabetes mellitus tipo 2 após a cirurgia (X(1) = 26,132, p < 0,001). Não ocorreu melhoria significativa em termos de patologia psiquiátrica quando a análise foi controlada para o tipo de cirurgia. Encontrámos uma associação significativa entre as variáveis em estudo no pós-cirúrgico e a perda de peso. Este modelo explica 27% da variação do peso após a cirurgia (R2 = 0,265) e é significativo F (3,33) = 2,981, p = 0,038. Discussão: A diabetes mellitus tipo 2, patologia depressiva ou do comportamento alimentar mostraram estar relacionados com a perda de peso. Não ficou esclarecido em que sentido esta relação é estabelecida, nem a relação que estas variáveis metabólicas e psicológicas possam ter entre si ao longo do período pós cirurgia bariátrica. Conclusão: A diabetes mellitus tipo 2 evoluiu favoravelmente após a cirurgia. Diabetes mellitus tipo 2, depressão e patologia alimentar no período pós-cirúrgico associaram-se a menor perda de peso. As variáveis estudadas no período pré cirúrgico não contribuíram de forma significativa para a perda de peso.

Maquet III procedure: what remains after initial complications--long-term results.

BACKGROUND: Maquet III procedure, unloved due to its complications (2% to 59%), has been progressively abandoned. At long-term follow-up, what happens to patients with complications that exceeded the initial ones (Acta Orthop Scand 60:20, 1989)? We retrospectively studied patients who were submitted to Maquet III procedure, by functional and radiologic long-term outcomes, in order to determine if this surgery has or has not fulfilled its initially proposed objectives. From 1970 to 1991, 116 patients benefit from the Maquet III procedure. From this, we were able to review in 2011, 23 patients (25 knees) who went through a single Maquet III procedure. Of these patients, 52% were males. Age at surgery was 39.7 ± 11.4, with a postoperative follow-up of 27.2 ± 3.1 years. METHODS: A questionnaire has been prepared for collecting data, and it has been supplemented by clinical records. We evaluated the preoperative complaints, postoperative complications, and range of motion during the recovery time, as well as the postoperative pain-absence period. All patients underwent an objective assessment using the visual analog scale (VAS) at rest and activity, and the Kujala patellofemoral scoring system. A radiological assessment was also made in order to evaluate the arthrosis degree. The bicondylo-patellar angle described by Delgado-Martins (Arch Orthop Traumat Surg 96:303-304, 1980) was used to measure patellar tilt, and the Caton-Deschamps index to calculate the patellar height. RESULTS: Only one knee had benefited from a total knee arthroplasty (20 years after the Maquet III procedure). Preoperative complains were mainly anterior knee pain, crepitus, and patellar instability. Nowadays, 10 patients (40%) still are pain free. Others had an average period without pain of 19.1 ± 6.1 years. VAS at rest was 1.7 ± 0.7 and in activity 4.4 ± 3.0. KPS was 61.9 ± 22.3 points. X-ray shows that 40% had a Kellgren-Lawrence grade of 1 at the patellofemoral joint. CONCLUSION: Maquet proposed this technique for knee-pain relief, maintenance of the knee range of motion, and for slowly progressive osteoarthritic development. Viewed in a dispassionately way, we could notice that the initial objectives of this procedure were completely achieved. A part of 80% of the initial population was lost during follow-up, which may compromise the conclusions, perhaps, it is time to reflect again on this solution, so unloved by so many.