03445nas a2200385   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002100055653001000076653002100086653001500107653001100122653000800133653002300141653001200164653002900176653001300205653003100218653003900249653001900288653001400307100001400321700001200335700001200347700001500359700001500374700001200389245008800401856004100489300001100530490000700541050001500548520248200563022001403045       1995                            d  c1995 Dec10aArtificial Limbs10aChina10aDisabled Persons10aFoot Ulcer10aHumans10aLeg10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aNational Health Programs10aNeuritis10aPatient Education as Topic10aPeripheral Nervous System Diseases10aPilot Projects10aSelf care1 aSmith W C1 aZhang G1 aZheng T1 aWatson J M1 aLehman L F1 aLever P00aPrevention of impairment in leprosy; results from a collaborative project in China.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v63n4a01.pdf  a507-170 v63  aCAIRNS19953 a<p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>to evaluate programs of prevention and treatment of impairments due to leprosy in 8 geographical areas in the People's Republic of China.</p><p><b>DESIGN: </b>follow up of cohorts of leprosy patients receiving a range of different interventions.</p><p><b>SETTING: </b>8 different geographical areas in China, varying in urban and rural characteristics from 6 provinces and 2 municipalities.</p><p><b>SUBJECTS: </b>leprosy patients who were receiving or had completed a course of antileprosy chemotherapy.</p><p><b>INTERVENTIONS: </b>a range of interventions, including steroids, self-care training, adapted footwear, surgery and provision of prostheses.</p><p><b>MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: </b>changes in eye, hand and foot impairments between baseline assessment and assessment at 2 years.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>232 out of 3571 patients assessed monthly over 2 years developed acute neuritis and, in most areas, were promptly and adequately treated. Regular self care of eyes was established in 238 out of 313 patients with lagophthalmos and was associated with reduction in the prevalence of conjunctivitis. Regular self care of hands was established in 730 out of 1010 patients with neurological impairment of the hand; this was associated with a reduction (80%) in hand cracks and wounds. Regular self care of feet was established in 745 out of 1094 patients with neurological impairment of the feet; this was associated with a 83% reduction in patients with cracks and a 33% reduction in patients with sole wounds. A footwear program was established in all 8 areas providing footwear to 4698 patients over the 2-year period; this was associated with a reduction of 61% and 21% in patients with cracks and wounds, respectively. Management of complicated sole wounds in 256 patients resulted in 69% of these patients being free of sole wounds at 2 years. Targets for reconstructive surgery and amputations were not fully attained, but lower limb prostheses were provided for 306 patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>leprosy is a chronic disease characterized by peripheral neuropathies which can result in increasing secondary impairments and disabilities. The emphasis, in countries such as China where the chemotherapy programs have been effectively implemented, is shifting to prevention and treatment of impairments. This innovative program in China has successfully demonstrated that it is possible to prevent and reverse impairments due to leprosy.</p>  a0148-916X