01754nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653000900065653001100074653002200085653001100107653001200118653000900130653001600139653001300155653003900168100001300207700001600220700001800236700001300254700001700267700001500284700001400299245012900313300001000442490000700452520095500459022001401414       2000                            d  c2000 Sep10aAdult10aAged10aFemale10aFollow-Up Studies10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aNeuritis10aPeripheral Nervous System Diseases1 aSkacel M1 aAntunes S L1 aRodrigues M M1 aNery J A1 aValentim V D1 aMorais R P1 aSarno E N00aThe diagnosis of leprosy among patients with symptoms of peripheral neuropathy without cutaneous lesions: a follow-up study.  a800-70 v583 a<p>Forty-four patients with neuritic leprosy were individually followed for periods ranging from 4 months to almost 4 years for the purpose of ascertaining the presence and/ or absence of leprosy. The neural symptoms presented were sensory impairment (41), parasthesia (28), nerve enlargement (22), nerve tenderness (20), paresia (20), amyotrophy (8). Leprosy was diagnosed in ten out of the total number of patients studied. Leprosy was confirmed by the appearance of reactional neuritis (4), reversal reaction (2), biopsy of the hypoesthesic area (3) and the appearance of non-reactional cutaneous lesion. We reported an experience in the diagnosis of neuritic leprosy and its most frequent clinical presentation with which clinicians have to be acquainted. We can also state that the clinical follow-up was an effective strategy for the diagnosis of the disease when diagnostic facilities are not available or have not confirmed the diagnosis.</p>  a0004-282X