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Quality of life of patients with paucibacillary leprosy
Iza Maria Corrêa Bottene1, Vitor Manoel Silva dos Reis
1Dermatology Program, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. izabottene@hotmail.com
Background:
Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, can affect the skin and the peripheral nervous system and, depending on the level of involvement, it can lead to severe deformities. Leprosy is classified into two major groups: paucibacillary (up to five lesions) and multibacillary (more than five lesions). The deformities that appear during the progress of the disease can affect the quality of life.
Objective:
To assess quality of life of patients with paucibacillary leprosy diagnosed and treated early in the outpatients' clinic.
Methods:
The Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire and ShortForm36 were applied to 49 outpatients undergoing treatment at the Leprosy Multidisciplinary Group of the Hospital das Clínicas of the Faculdade de Medicina of the Universidade de São Paulo.
Results:
The majority of the patients (63%) did not show impairment of the quality of life, according to the results obtained by the Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire. In the questionnaire Short Form-36, the scores assessed showed slight impairment of the quality of life.
Conclusion:
On this study, we can conclude that this group of patients, with paucibacillary leprosy, did not show important impairment of the quality of life. Therefore we can conclude that the earlier the diagnosis and the treatment the lesser the influence on the quality of life.
Insights
Early diagnosis and treatment of paucibacillary leprosy significantly reduce its impact on patients' quality of life. Most patients experienced no major quality of life impairment, indicating effective early intervention for this infectious disease.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is an infectious disease affecting skin and nerves, potentially causing deformities and impacting quality of life.
- Classified as paucibacillary (≤5 lesions) or multibacillary (>5 lesions), leprosy requires timely management to mitigate long-term effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the quality of life in patients diagnosed with and treated early for paucibacillary leprosy in an outpatient setting.
Main Methods:
- The study involved 49 outpatients receiving treatment at the Leprosy Multidisciplinary Group of the Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo.
- Quality of life was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires.
Main Results:
- The DLQI indicated that 63% of patients did not experience significant impairment in their quality of life.
- The SF-36 scores suggested a slight impairment in quality of life among the study participants.
Conclusions:
- Patients with early-diagnosed and treated paucibacillary leprosy showed no significant negative impact on their quality of life.
- Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial in minimizing the long-term influence of leprosy on patients' quality of life.
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