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Asymptomatic leprosy contacts present asymmetrical skin temperature in hands by infrared thermography

2024; British Leprosy Relief Association; Volume: 95; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.47276/lr.95.2.2023071

2162-8807

Elaine Fávaro Pípi Sabino, Diogo Fernandes dos Santos, Douglas Eulálio Antunes, Leonardo Peixoto Garcia, Dulcinéa de Oliveira Bernardes de Souza, Isabela Maria Bernardes Goulart,

Infrared Thermography in Medicine

Objective This study aimed to identify possible dysautonomia in asymptomatic leprosy contacts through the assessment of asymmetric temperature between the hands using Infrared Thermography (IR). Methods We recruited 144 subjects divided in three groups: 23 healthy subjects, 66 seropositive and 55 seronegative leprosy contacts by anti-phenolic glycolipid I (anti-PGL1) serology. Skin temperature was measured by a FLIR® T420 IR camera at ten regions of interest (ROIs) in each hand, at a controlled room temperature. Results Skin temperature of both hands was reduced ( p < 0.05) on all ROIs in seropositive household contacts and in the three ROIs of distal phalanges in seronegative contacts ( p < 0.05) compared with healthy subjects. The presence of 2 or more ROIs with temperature asymmetry was observed in 81.8% (54/66) of seropositive and 60.0% (33/55) in seronegative contacts. Conclusion IR thermography may detect temperature asymmetry in hands of leprosy contacts indicating peripheral autonomic dysfunction related to early neural impairment in these individuals.