BackgroundLow temperatures and slow blood flow may result from peripheral neuropathy
caused by leprosy, and the simple detection of cold fingers could already be
a preliminary classification for these patients.ObjectiveTo investigate whether infrared thermography would be able to measure this
change in temperature in the hands of people with leprosy.MethodThe study assessed 17 leprosy patients who were under treatment at the
National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy,
Uberlândia/MG, and 15 people without leprosy for the control group.
The infrared camera FLIR A325 and Therma CAM Researcher Professional 2.9
software were used to measure the temperature. The room was air-conditioned,
maintaining the temperature at 25°C; the distance between the camera and the
limb was 70 cm. The vasomotor reflex of patients was tested by a cold stress
on the palm.ResultsThe study showed a significant interaction between the clinical form of
leprosy and temperature, where the control group and the
borderline-borderline form revealed a higher initial temperature, while
borderline-lepromatous and lepromatous leprosy showed a lower temperature.
Regarding vasomotor reflex, lepromatous leprosy patients were unable to
recover the initial temperature after cold stress, while those with the
borderline-tuberculoid form not only recovered but exceeded the initial
temperature.ConclusionThermography proved a potential tool to assist in the early detection of
neuropathies, helping in the prevention of major nerve damage and the
installation of deformities and disabilities that are characteristic of
leprosy.
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