Significance of the Serum Levels of C - reactive Protein in Leprosy Patients with Planter Ulcer / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

It is difficult to know whether the presence of infection in the plantar ulcer in patients with leprosy or not. Because routine bacteriology is often unhelpful, we need to investigate diagnostic method in this situation. C-reactive protein(CRF) levels have been known to be useful in detecting infection in some diseases. In this study, CRP levels were measured in 20 leprosy patients with plantar ulceration and 14 patients with leprosy alone. The results were as follows 1. There was no elevation of CRP levels in patients with leprosy alone, and in the majority of patients with ulcers. 2. Of 20 patients with plantar ulcers, four had raised CRP levels one had clinically obvious infection, and three had erythematous skin of uncertain cause surrounding their ulcers. 3. Treatment with an appropriate antibiotics reduced CRP levels to normal, which was associated with clinical improvement. Therefore, it is suggested that increased CRP levels can be a useful probe for detecting significant bacterial infection in plantar ulcers of leprosy patients.