02217nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001653000900042653002000051653001200071653001100083100001400094700001400108700001300122700001600135700001400151700001400165700001300179700001300192245011400205856008700319300000700406490000600413520151800419022001401937       2016                            d10aPain10aQuality of Life10aleprosy10aBrazil1 aSantos VS1 aSantana J1 aCastro F1 aOliveira LS1 aSantana J1 aFeitosa V1 aGurgel R1 aCuevas L00aPain and quality of life in leprosy patients in an endemic area of Northeast Brazil: a cross-sectional study.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4780133/pdf/40249_2016_Article_113.pdf  a180 v53 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Pain emerges as a challenge in the treatment of leprosy patients. In this study, we describe the prevalence and type of pain in patients with leprosy, and its effect on patients' quality of life in an endemic area of Northeast Brazil.</p>

<p><strong>FINDINGS: </strong>A cross-sectional survey of 260 patients attending leprosy reference centres in Sergipe, Northeast Brazil was conducted. Individuals were assessed for the presence and type of pain, skin sensory loss, peripheral nerve enlargement, touch and pinprick sensations, mechanical allodynia and nerve palpation. Participants completed the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire, and we also used the Brief Pain Inventory scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF instrument to arrive at our results. One hundred and ninety-five (75&nbsp;%) patients reported pain, mostly of the neuropathic type. Pain was moderate in 84 (43.1&nbsp;%) and severe in 94 (48.2&nbsp;%) participants. The presence of pain was associated with disability (p = 0.001), leprosy reactions (p = 0.004) and lower quality of life. Most patients with neuropathic pain were treated with steroids, despite their low efficacy for this type of pain.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>Pain is highly prevalent among leprosy patients and is associated with low quality of life. Leprosy management should include a systematic assessment of the type of pain a patient experiences in order to provide adequate treatment.</p>
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