Endocrine dysfunction in patients of leprosy

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Infectious Diseases
• Dermatology

Background:

• Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease impacting skin, nerves, and internal organs.
• Endocrine dysfunction in leprosy is often asymptomatic, leading to missed diagnoses and increased morbidity.
• This study investigates occult endocrine disorders in leprosy patients and their correlation with disease parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of subclinical endocrine disorders in leprosy patients.
• To compare endocrine function between leprosy patients and a control group.
• To explore potential correlations between endocrine abnormalities and leprosy severity.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, observational study involving 40 leprosy patients and 20 controls.
• Comprehensive assessment of pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and gonadal function, including dynamic testing.
• Statistical analysis to compare groups and identify correlations.

Main Results:

• Eleven of 40 leprosy patients (27.5%) exhibited endocrine disorders.
• Common findings included subclinical hypothyroidism, sick euthyroid syndrome, and hypogonadism (GH deficiency, primary/secondary hypogonadism).
• Lower testosterone levels correlated inversely with the number of skin patches (P=0.0006).

Conclusions:

• Occult endocrine dysfunction is prevalent in approximately 25% of leprosy patients.
• Thyroid and gonadal axis abnormalities are common, with increased severity in lepromatous leprosy.
• Further large-scale studies are needed to validate these findings.