Sonographic evaluation of peripheral nerves in leprosy patients before and after treatment

Abstract

World Health Organization (WHO) considers Brazil as highly endemic for leprosy (prevalence of 29,761 cases in 2010, WHO 2011) and early diagnosis is extremely important in the evolution of the disease. Additionally, it is known that the multidrug therapy cures the Mycobacterium leprae's infection but does not prevent the disease in its immunopathologic aspects. The reactions are frequent complications requiring hospitalization and specialized care; as a consequence, they can lead to serious neurological damage determining irreversible physical disabilities. Considering the importance of leprosy neuropathy in the context of peripheral neuropathies, that 7.2% of patients diagnosed with leprosy present grade-2 of disability (Brazilian Ministry of Health 2009)-ie, irreversible neurological damage- and that is relevant the number of people with stigmatizing deformities due to peripheral neuropathy, it is important to develop methods for early detection of neural injury.The proposal is to conduct a longitudinal systematic sonography study in patients referred to the leprosy clinic at the HC-FMRP-USP, before and after multidrug therapy, to better understand the imaging findings of peripheral nerve disease, because data are scarce medical literature and there is still no longitudinal study of sonography imaging after treatment. (AU)