Quality of life in patients with lepromatous leprosy in China

Leprosy has an impact on patients' quality of life (QoL). However, there has been no study specifically on the impact of the severest type of leprosy-lepromatous leprosy on QoL.

To describe the use of Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) among patients with lepromatous leprosy in China.

Sixty-four inpatients with lepromatous leprosy of Shangluo hospital and Hanzhong hospital and sixty-four controls (healthy volunteers or patients with other dermatoses) matched for age and gender were asked to complete DLQI questionnaires from 2 September 2008 to 20 December 2008. Extensive data were collected besides DLQI, including demographic data and disease-related characteristics. Absence or presence of disability among patients with lepromatous leprosy was evaluated at the same time.

The overall mean DLQI score for lepromatous leprosy (18.78) was higher than that for control (9.00) (P < 0.001). Patients with lepromatous leprosy scored significantly higher for all items (P < 0.001) except Q4 (clothes choice). Controls scored significantly lower for all domains of DLQI. Scores of LL increased markedly with increasing clinical severity, but were not associated with educational level, gender, age and disease duration. The inter-item correlation averaged 0.240 and Cronbach's alpha was 0.759, indicating high internal consistency.

This is the first exclusive study to attempt to measure the impact of lepromatous leprosy on QoL. Lepromatous leprosy has a severe impact on QoL.