Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39024363›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Role of multisegmental nerve ultrasound in the diagnosis of leprosy neuropathy.

Andrea De Martino Luppi, Guilherme Emílio Ferreira, Isabella Sabião Borges, Douglas Eulálio Antunes, Lúcio Araújo, Diogo Fernandes Dos Santos, Marcello Henrique Nogueira-Barbosa, Isabela Maria Bernardes Goulart

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Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Andrea De Martino LuppiNational Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics' Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-2785-6605
Guilherme Emílio FerreiraRadiology Division, Clinics' Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Isabella Sabião BorgesNational Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics' Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Douglas Eulálio AntunesNational Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics' Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Lúcio AraújoDepartment of Mathematics, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Diogo Fernandes Dos SantosNational Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics' Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
Marcello Henrique Nogueira-BarbosaRadiology Division, Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Isabela Maria Bernardes GoulartNational Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics' Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-2319-3223

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

INTRODUCTION/

aimsLeprosy is the most common treatable peripheral neuropathy worldwide. The detection of peripheral nerve impairment is essential for its diagnosis and treatment, in order to prevent stigmatizing deformities and disabilities. This study was performed to identify neural thickening through multisegmental ultrasound (US).

methodsWe assessed US measurements of cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of ulnar, median and tibial nerves at two points (in the osteofibrous tunnel and proximal to the tunnel), and also of the common fibular nerve at the fibular head level in 53 leprosy patients (LP), and compared with those of 53 healthy volunteers (HV), as well as among different clinical forms of leprosy.

resultsUS evaluation detected neural thickening in 71.1% (38/53) of LP and a mean number of 3.6 enlarged nerves per patient. The ulnar and tibial were the most frequently affected nerves. All nerves showed significantly higher measurements in LP compared with HV, and also greater asymmetry, with significantly higher values for ulnar and tibial nerves. We found significant CSAs differences between tunnel and pre-tunnel points for ulnar and tibial nerves, with maximum values proximal to the tunnel. All clinical forms of leprosy evaluated showed neural enlargement through US. DISCUSSION: Our findings support the role of multisegmental US as a useful method for diagnosing leprosy neuropathy, revealing that asymmetry, regional and non-uniform thickening are characteristics of the disease. Furthermore, we observed that neural involvement is common in different clinical forms of leprosy, reinforcing the importance of including US evaluation of peripheral nerves in the investigation of all leprosy patients.

Indexed as

LeprosyPeripheral Nervous System DiseasesUltrasonographyAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMedian NerveMiddle AgedTibial NerveUlnar NerveYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID39024363
PMCPMC11257231

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.