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THE RED FLAGS OF ULNAR NEUROPATHY IN LEPROSY
Author
Affilliation
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Pedro Ernesto. Departamento de Neurologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Pedro Ernesto. Departamento de Neurologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Pedro Ernesto. Departamento de Neurologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Pedro Ernesto. Departamento de Neurologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Pedro Ernesto. Departamento de Neurologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Abstract
The diagnosis of pure neural leprosy is more challenging because patients share characteristics
with other common pathologies, such as ulnar compression, which should be taken
into consideration for differential diagnosis. In this study, we identify ulnar nerve conduction
characteristics to aid in the differential diagnosis of ulnar neuropathy (UN) in leprosy and
that of non-leprosy etiology. In addition, we include putative markers to better understand
the inflammatory process that may occur in the nerve. Data were extracted from a database
of people affected by leprosy (leprosy group) diagnosed with UN at leprosy diagnosis. A
non-leprosy group of patients diagnosed with mechanical neuropathy (compressive, traumatic)
was also included. Both groups were submitted to clinical, neurological, neurophysiological
and immunological studies. Nerve enlargement and sensory impairment were
significantly higher in leprosy patients than in patients with compressive UN. Bilateral
impairment was significantly higher in the leprosy group than in the non-leprosy group. Leprosy
reactions were associated to focal demyelinating lesions at the elbow and to temporal
dispersion (TD). Clinical signs such as sensory impairment, nerve enlargement and bilateral
ulnar nerve injury associated with eletrodiagnostic criteria such as demyelinating finds, specifically
temporal dispersion, could be tools to help us decided on the best conduct in
patients with elbow ulnar neuropathy and specifically decide if we should perform a nerve
biopsy for diagnosis of pure neural leprosy.
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