01920nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001000042653002200052653002900074653002500103100001500128700002300143700002300166700001400189700001800203700002500221245010600246856005200352300000900404490000700413520124400420022001401664       2024                            d  bLepra10aPeripheral nerves10aepidemiologic monitoring10aMycobacterium leprae1 aSabino EFP1 aFernandes Santos D1 aEulálio Antunes D1 aGarcia LP1 ade Souza DDOB1 aBernardes Goulart IM00aAsymptomatic leprosy contacts present asymmetrical skin temperature in hands by infrared thermography  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/article/95/2/20-23071  a1-100 v953 a<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to identify possible dysautonomia in asymptomatic leprosy contacts through the assessment of asymmetric temperature between the hands using Infrared Thermography (IR).</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited 144 subjects divided in three groups: 23 healthy subjects, 66 seropositive and 55 seronegative leprosy contacts by anti-phenolic glycolipid&nbsp;I (anti-PGL1) serology. Skin temperature was measured by a FLIR<sup>®</sup>&nbsp;T420 IR camera at ten regions of interest (ROIs) in each hand, at a controlled room temperature.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong> Skin temperature of both hands was reduced ( p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05) on all ROIs in seropositive household contacts and in the three ROIs of distal phalanges in seronegative contacts ( p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05) compared with healthy subjects. The presence of 2 or more ROIs with temperature asymmetry was observed in 81.8% (54/66) of seropositive and 60.0% (33/55) in seronegative contacts.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> IR thermography may detect temperature asymmetry in hands of leprosy contacts indicating peripheral autonomic dysfunction related to early neural impairment in these individuals.</p>
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