Leprosy Reactions In Childhood: A Prospective Cohort Study In The Brazilian Amazon.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In highly endemic areas, severe multibacillary forms of leprosy and reactional episodes are not rare in children. The objective of the present study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of leprosy reactions in children from the Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 34 leprosy patients aged under 15 years diagnosed at a health referral unit in northern Brazil between April 2014 and June 2015. Follow-up medical consultations were performed during multidrug therapy (MDT) and one year after the end of treatment. Participants underwent a simple neurologic examination and answered a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 34 recruited patients, 18 (52.9%) had leprosy reactions and/or neuritis. Among these, 10 (55.6%) had reactions at diagnosis, 13 (72.2%) had reactions after MDT, and 14 (77.8%) had two or more reactional episodes. Type I reactions occurred in 14 (77.8%) cases. Complications, such as disabilities, necrotizing erythema nodosum, or Cushing's syndrome, occurred in six (33.3%) patients. The following variables showed significant associations (p ≤ 0.05) with leprosy reactions: age 8-14 years, number of doctors seen (≥3), multibacillary classification, number of skin lesions (≥10), or borderline and lepromatous clinical forms. The high frequency of type I reactions resulted in prolonged corticosteroid therapy, which may cause deficient bone maturation in childhood. CONCLUSION: Older age in children, consulting many physicians for diagnosis, severe clinical forms, and numerous skin lesions were positively associated with reaction development. Reactions after MDT highlight the need for continuity in healthcare of children with leprosy.

Nerve Damage in Young Patients with Leprosy Diagnosed in an Endemic Area of the Brazilian Amazon: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe nerve damage and its association with clinical and epidemiologic characteristics in young patients with leprosy diagnosed in an endemic area of the Brazilian Amazon. STUDY DESIGN: All 45 patients with leprosy younger than 15 years of age and diagnosed at a health referral unit in northern Brazil were invited to participate in a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study. Subjects were submitted to a templated simple neurologic examination of the peripheral nerves and answered a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 41 cases, referral was the mode of detection in 33 participants (80.5%); 19 (46.3%) had been seen by 3 or more physicians to obtain a diagnosis, and 26 (63.4%) had received other diagnoses. The interval between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was more than 1 year in 30 cases (73.2%). Borderline leprosy was the predominant clinical form (48.8%); 63.4% of the participants had multibacillary leprosy, 31.7% had nerve damage, and 17.1% exhibited disabilities. The following variables showed a statistically significant association (P???.05) with nerve damage at diagnosis: home visit by the community health worker, number of doctors seen, number of skin lesions (>5), and lesions along the path of nerve trunks. CONCLUSION: Centralized healthcare, a low frequency of home visits by community health workers, and the difficulty in diagnosing leprosy in children are factors that contribute to late treatment initiation and an increased risk of peripheral nerve damage. In addition, multiple skin lesions and lesions along the path of nerve trunks require rigorous monitoring.

Episódios reacionais hansênicos: estudo de fatores relacionados com adesão ao tratamento em uma unidade de referência / Leprosy rectional episodes: study of factores related to adherence to treatment in a unit of reference

As reações hansênicas são um dos maiores problemas para os profissionais de saúde no manejo dos portadores de hanseníase, tornando o controle das mesmas de fundamental importância para evitar complicações clínicas e sociais. A assiduidade às consultas para avaliação e controle é essencial para a cura. Este estudo avaliou a influência dos fatores sócio-demográficos e clínicos na adesão ao tratamento em estado reacional em um ambulatório de referência. Trata-sede um estudo do tipo série de casos, em pacientes em controle no ambulatório do NMT/UFPA nos anos de 2008 a 2009. Os resultados mostraram que pacientes do sexo masculino, adultos e com baixa escolaridade foram os mais acometidos pela hanseníase. As reações hansênicas do tipo 1(RR) foram as mais incidentes, tendo como principal queixa a dor. Apesar dos resultados não terem mostrado associação, com significância estatística, entre as variáveis estudadas e a não adesão ao tratamento, eles evidenciaram variáveis que interferem na assiduidade às consultas.

Leprosy reactions are one of the biggest problems for health professionals in the management of patients with leprosy, making control of these fundamentally important to avoid medical complications and social problems. The attendance to appointments for evaluation and control is essential to healing. This study evaluated the influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors in adherence to treatment in a reactive state in a outpatient referral. This is a study of type series of cases in patients in control in the outpatient department of the NMT / UFPA in the years 2008-2009. The results showed that male, adults and low education patients were the most affected by leprosy. Leprosy reactions of 1 (RR) type had the highest incidence, with pain as the chief complaint. Although the results have not shown an association with statistical significance between variables and non-adherence to treatment, they showed variables that interfere in attendance to appointments.