A clinical study of the involvement of cranial nerves in leprosy.

ABSTRACT

A clinical descriptive study was conducted to assess the frequency and pattern of involvement of cranial nerves in leprosy and to study the relationship of cranial nerve involvement with a leprosy patch or patches on facial skin. One hundred consecutive patients of leprosy, diagnosed by clinical features and/or slit skin smear and histopathology, were studied; of these, 22 patients had cranial nerve involvement. The mean age of patients with cranial nerve involvement was 41.2 years. 16 patients (72.7%) with cranial nerve involvement were in the age-group of 20-49 years. The male-to-female ratio was 3.41. The mean duration of the disease in these patients was 5.73 years. The duration of the disease in the majority of patients with cranial nerve involvement was less than 5 years. Impairment of cranial nerves was seen in 12 BT patients, 6 BL patients, and 4 LL patients. No significant difference was noted between involvement of cranial nerves in PB and MB patients. Among the cranial nerves, facial nerve was the most common nerve involved (10/22), followed by olfactory (9/22), trigeminal (7/22) and auditory (3/22) nerves. Among the risk factors, it was found that facial nerve impairment was significantly associated with facial patch(es) and also type 1 lepra reaction.