Leprosy is a disease that causes important social consequences for resulting from nerve damage, leading a contingent of people with deformities and unable to perform activities of daily life and work. In order to assess the degree of improvement in hands force (FPP) using the JAMAR ® dynamometer in patients with leprous neuritis in the use of corticosteroids, there was designed a case series study, consisting of a sample obtained for convenience of 20 patients with acute leprous neuritis, treated as outpatients and the Center for Tropical Medicine (NMT), Federal University of Pará, where the first measurement was performed the day of diagnosis and early treatment for neuritis and the second measurement thirty days after the first evaluation. The ulnar neuritis was prevalent and the FPP values in non-dominant hand had an average of 20.25 ± 13.16 kgf. And 18.50 ± 11.70 kgf. in the first and second measurement respectively. In leprosy patients with neuritis, FPP was reduced compared to the average population (in males obtained 79.86% and 86% of the reference values, the dominant and nondominant hands respectively. In females the values 53.49% and 65.05% in the dominant and nondominant hand, respectively). With respect to leprosy reaction, it was observed that the type I leprosy reaction was obtained force values of 27.40 ± 9.57 kgf. in the dominant hand and 32.40 ± 8.21 kgf. in the non-dominant hand in the first measurement. In the second measurement were recorded average values of 30.90 ± 12.90 kgf. in the dominant hand and 34.00 ± 9.29 kgf. in the non-dominant hand. The type II leprosy reaction presented with values lower grip strength, although not significant (p ≥ 0.06). Patients who had an improvement in neuritic expressed by the regression of pain showed a significant increase in grip strength in dominant hand (p <0.02) Thus we conclude that the PPF can collaborate in the monitoring of patients with leprous neuritis in use of corticosteroids, but further studies should be conducted to obtain information to assist its use.
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