Leprosy neuropathy: administration of intravenous methylprednisolone pulsotherapy

LEPROSY NEUROPATHY: ADMINISTRATION OF INTRAVENOUS METHYLPREDNISOLONE PULSOTHERAPY (ABSTRACT)^*. DISSERTATION. RIO DE JANEIRO, 2001.

MARIA LÚCIA VELLUTINI PIMENTEL^**

Twelve patients diagnosed as leprosy neuropathy were studied, regardless of their leprosy classification. All patients were submitted to a clinical (neurological) evaluation, to an electroneuromyographic exam and, six of them, to a nerve biopsy. They had different clinical symptoms. Some of them were on use of oral corticosteroid. They all received one gram of intravenous methylprednisolone during 90 minutes, for three days and had this same dosage repeated during the two following weeks.

They were then seen at the ambulatory and their symptoms were analyzed according to the Visual Analogic Scale (VAS). After three months of pulsotherapy, another electroneuromyography was performed. Those patients who did not show clinical improvement were submitted to another course of pulsotherapy, according to the histopathological exam. Those who had major neurological deficits received a monthly treatment (a single dose of one gram of intravenous methylprednisolone).

Theree was a six to seven points improvement in the VAS. There was no similar improvement concerning the electroneuromyographic exam. Those patients taking oral corticosteroid had a better response to the intravenous medication, considering the period of time they were on oral medication and their complains before the initial treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone.

The intravenous treatment with methylprednisolone in pulsotherapy must be considered in leprosy neuropathy due to its good results and decreased risks in long.term therapy.

KEY WORDS: leprosy, peripheral neuropathy, methylprednisolone intravenous pulsotherapy.

**Address: Rua Custódio Serrão 36 / 1001, 22470-230 Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.

*

Neuro-hanseníase: emprego da metilprednisolona em pulsoterapia intravenosa (Resumo). Dissertação de Mestrado, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Área: Clínica Médica). Orientador: Sérgio Augusto Pereira Novis.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  10 Sept 2002
• Date of issue
  Sept 2002