Disabilities of hands, feet and eyes in leprosy patients

ABS TRACT Objective: Leprosy is a chronic, granulomatous, latent disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, involving the skin and nerves. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of disability in the hand, foot, and eyes of patients with leprosy. Material and Methods: This study was carried out with 87 leprosy patients who were followed-up and treated in Bakırköy Lepra Skin and Venereal Diseases Hospital between 2010 and 2013 and their registration data were obtained. Demographic characteristics of leprosy patients and Leprosy’ Hand-Foot-Eye-Disability Degrees in were evaluated according to the World Health Organization classifications. The degree of deteriotation for hand and foot from the absence of any deteriotation to amputation, was evaluated at 0, 1, 2. The degree of deteriotation for the eye, from the absence of any distortion to blindness, was evaluated over 0, 1, 2, 3. Results: Of the 87 lepra patients included in the study, 69% were male, 31% were female and the mean age was 64.930±14.508 years. In 37.93% of the leprosy patients, deformities (2nd degree deterioration) and amputations in 29.88% of the upper and lower extremities were detected. In 79.3% of patients, pathology developed in both eyes (right eye: 42.52% 1st degree and 34.48% 2nd degree disorder; left eye: 41.37% 1st degree and 42.52% 2nd degree disorder and 2 right eyes and 2 left eyes; 4-blindness-3rd degree disorder caused by leprosy). Conclusion: The treatment process of leprosy patients should be planned to be multidisciplinary, including early diagnosis and rehabilitation, due to the deformities of the disease in the hands, feet and eyes.