Progression of leprosy disability after discharge: is multidrug therapy enough?

Objective: To evaluate the risk factors related to worsening of physical disabilities after treatment discharge among patients with leprosy administered 12 consecutive monthly doses of multidrug therapy (MDT/WHO).

Methods: Cohort study was carried out at the Leprosy Laboratory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We evaluated patients with multibacillary leprosy treated (MDT/WHO) between 1997 and 2007.

Cutaneous lesions sensory impairment recovery and nerve regeneration in leprosy patients.

It is important to understand the mechanisms that enable peripheral neurons to regenerate after nerve injury in order to identify methods of improving this regeneration. Therefore, we studied nerve regeneration and sensory impairment recovery in the cutaneous lesions of leprosy patients (LPs) before and after treatment with multidrug therapy (MDT). The skin lesion sensory test results were compared to the histopathological and immunohistochemical protein gene product (PGP) 9.

[Patients from a reference center for leprosy: Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, 1986-2008].

Unlabelled: The scope of this study was to compare epidemiological data on leprosy patients living in two cities with different socioeconomic and endemic profiles that were monitored in a single center of reference. A descriptive study was made of data from patients in the Souza Araújo Outpatient facility treated in the period 1986-2008, who were resident in the cities of Rio de Janeiro = 1353) and Duque de Caxias (n = 336).

Results: Among patients from Duque de Caxias, in comparison with patients from Rio de Janeiro, there was a higher proportion of cases: below the age of 15 years, multibacillary, higher initial bacilloscopic index (BI) and cases detected through surveillance of contacts.

Development and validation of a severity scale for leprosy type 1 reactions.

Objectives: To develop a valid and reliable quantitative measure of leprosy Type 1 reactions.

Methods: A scale was developed from previous scales which had not been validated. The face and content validity were assessed following consultation with recognised experts in the field.