Asymmetric Nerve Enlargement: A Characteristic of Leprosy Neuropathy Demonstrated by Ultrasonography.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neurological involvement occurs throughout the leprosy clinical spectrum and is responsible for the most feared consequences of the disease. Ultrasonography (US) provides objective measurements of nerve thickening and asymmetry. We examined leprosy patients before beginning multi-drug therapy aiming to describe differences in US measurements between classification groups and between patients with and without reactions.

Methodology/principal findings

Eleven paucibacillary (PB) and 85 multibacillary (MB) patients underwent nerve US. Twenty-seven patients had leprosy reactions (type 1, type 2 and/or acute neuritis) prior to US. The ulnar (at the cubital tunnel-Ut-and proximal to the tunnel-Upt), median (M) and common fibular (CF) nerves were scanned to measure cross-

SUBMITTER: Lugao HB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4672904 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature