02002nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001260001000042653002100052100001300073700001300086700001100099700001300110700001300123245013100136856009800267300001200365490000700377520139800384022001401782       2022                            d  bLepra10aGeneral Medicine1 aBhalla M1 aPoonia K1 aJain S1 aThami GP1 aSharma P00aClinical profile of patients with pure neuritic leprosy: 20 years’ experience at a tertiary referral centre from North India  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/admin/public/api/lepra/website/getDownload/62989b26afaac10f834fb71b  a131-1370 v933 a<p>Introduction</p>

<p>Pure neuritic leprosy (PNL) is characterized by enlargement of peripheral nerves, sensory loss without any cutaneous lesions, skin slit smear negativity and a variable lepromin test and histopathology.</p>

<p>Methods</p>

<p>This was a retrospective analysis of the clinical records of all the leprosy patients enrolled in the Leprosy Clinic, during the years 1999–2019. The patient records fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of PNL were considered for analysis.</p>

<p>Results</p>

<p>A total of 1225 patients registered leprosy cases, out of which 41 (3.3%) patients were diagnosed with PNL. Mean age was 31 years and 80% patients were male. Multiple nerves were affected in 25 (61%) patients and one nerve was found to be affected in only 16 (39%) patients. Grade&nbsp;2 deformities were seen in 26 (63%) patients. All patients were treated with multi-drug therapy - 25 patients received the multibacillary regimen and 16 received the paucibacillary regimen; 27 (66%) patients completed the treatment as prescribed.</p>

<p>Conclusion</p>

<p>Leprosy is the most common treatable cause of peripheral neuropathy. Therefore, early detection of leprosy neuropathy is important for preventing deformities and disabilities. It may be advisable to treat all PNL cases with the multibacillary multidrug therapy in view of higher rate of deformities.</p>
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