Nerve function impairment in leprosy reaction

Background: Nerve damage in leprosy reaction occurs very quickly, that can lead to paralysis for many peripheral nerves within 24 hours. Objective: To survey nerve function impairment in leprosy reactions. Subjects and method: 285 new leprosy patients treated from 1996 to 2000 at 22 districts in Ho Chi Minh city had leprosy reaction and estimated nerve functions. This was retrospective cross-section descriptive study. Results: This study included 70.2% men, age 15-45 years (71.9%) and most patients were manual laborers. There were 83.5% multibacillary (MB) and 16.5% paucibacillary (PB). 86.3% Reversal Reaction (RR), Erythemal Nodosum Leprosy (ENL) 13% and both 0.7%. 53% of leprosy reaction happened during Multi-Drug Treatment (MDT), at diagnosis 37.5%, before MDT 7.7% and after MDT 1.8%. Nerve function impairment was 38.2% in leprosy reaction; men had impaired nerve function 1.7 times higher than women (p<0.05). Nerve function impairment in RR and ENL as well as MB and PB were the same (p>0.05). MB (42%) has impaired nerve function higher than PB (26.1%) in RR (p<0.05, OR = 2.05). Conclusions: Leprosy reaction happened to men more frequent than women, essentially in MB and during MDT. One third of cases had nerve function impairment in leprosy reaction and also had a link between sex and nerve function impairment. MB was 2 times the impaired nerve function higher than PB in RR.