02078nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001200054653002100066653001700087653001000104653001600114100002200130700002400152700002400176700002000200245008900220856006700309300000900376490000700385520143000392022001401822       2024                            d  bMDPI AG10aleprosy10ahospitalizations10aepidemiology10aSpain10acomorbidity1 aFigueres-Pesudo B1 aPinargote-Celorio H1 aBelinchón-Romero I1 aRamos-Rincón J00aComorbidities and Complications in People Admitted for Leprosy in Spain, 1997–2021  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/5/586/pdf?version=1714634902  a1-110 v143 a<p>This study aims to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and trends of these admissions in Spain. This retrospective study drew data from the Hospital Discharge Records Database of the Spanish National Health System. We used the diagnostic codes for leprosy from the International Classification of Diseases, ninth and tenth revisions, to retrieve leprosy admissions from 1997 to 2021. There were 1387 hospitalizations for leprosy The number of annual cases decreased gradually, from 341 cases in 1997–2001 to 232 in 2017–2021 (p &lt; 0.001). Patients’ median age increased, from 65 years in 1997–2001 to 76 years in 2017–2021 (p &lt; 0.001), as did the prevalence of some comorbidities, such as hypertension (15% in 1997–2001 to 27.6% in 2017–2021; p &lt; 0.001). The mortality rate (6%) and the frequency of leprosy complications remained stable. After Spain (79.1%), the most common country of origin was Paraguay (4.4%). Admissions decreased significantly in Andalusia, from 42% in 1997–2001 to 10.8% in 2017–2021 (p &lt; 0.001), and in the Canary Islands, from 7.9% in 1997–2001 to 2.6% in 2017–2021 (p = 0.001), whereas they increased in Madrid, from 5.9% in 1997–2001 to 12.1% in 2017–2021 (p = 0.005). Overall, leprosy admissions in Spain have declined, even in the regions with the highest prevalence. Patients admitted for leprosy have become older and sicker.</p>
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