01413nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653001000089653001100099653003100110653001100141653003100152653001200183653000900195653001700204653001600221653003900237653001700276653001400293653001600307100001300323700001700336700001500353245007900368300001100447490000700458520058400465022001401049       1988                            d  c1988 Mar10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aChild10aFemale10aHand Deformities, Acquired10aHumans10aIndependent State of Samoa10aleprosy10aMale10aMedian Nerve10aMiddle Aged10aPeripheral Nervous System Diseases10aRadial Nerve10aSensation10aUlnar nerve1 aBrunel W1 aSchecter W P1 aSchecter G00aHand deformity and sensory loss due to Hansen's disease in American Samoa.  a279-830 v133 a<p>We report the prevalence of sensory loss and hand deformity in 63 patients with Hansen's disease in American Samoa. Open ulceration, the most common deformity, was present in 41% of patients; sensory abnormalities were present in 54% and were bilateral in 65%. The presence of abnormal sensibility correlated with a high percentage of other deformities. Hand abnormalities were most prevalent in lepromatous patients and were related to a prolonged duration of disease. Nerve thickening did not appear to be a helpful clinical finding to assess the degree of sensory loss.</p>  a0363-5023