José M Ramos1,2,3, Sonia Ortiz-Martínez1,4, Deriba Lemma1, Matheus M Petros1, Carmen Ortiz-Martínez5, Abraham Tesfamariam1, Francisco Reyes1, Isabel Belinchón3,6. 1. Department of Paediatrics and Medicine, Gambo Rural General Hospital, Shashemane, Ethiopia. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante 03010, Spain. 3. Department of Medicine, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, San Joan d'Alacant, Alicante 03550, Spain. 4. Primary Care Unit, El Bonillo Centro de Salud, Albacete 02610, Spain. 5. Palliative Care Unit, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Albacete 02006, Spain. 6. Service of Dermatology, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante 03010, Spain.
Abstract
AIM: To analyse differences in children and adolescents aged ≤18 years admitted to the leprosy ward in a rural Ethiopian hospital >16 years. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from leprosy admission registry books on patients with leprosy who were admitted to a referral hospital from September 2000 to September 2016. RESULTS: There were 2129 admissions for leprosy during the study period: 180 (8.4%) patients were s ≤ 18 years old. Of these, 98 (54.4%) were male and 82 (45.6%) were female. The proportion of new diagnoses in children and adolescents was 31.7%, significantly higher than in adults (11.7%; p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in the prevalence of lepromatous ulcers (46.9 vs. 61.7%), leprosy reaction (29.4 vs. 13.0%) and neuritis (16.9 vs.5.3%) between these age groups. CONCLUSIONS: There were more new diagnoses, leprosy reactions and neuritis, and fewer lepromatous ulcers, in children and adolescents compared with adults, with younger patients being referred more frequently to reference centres.
AIM: To analyse differences in children and adolescents aged ≤18 years admitted to the leprosy ward in a rural Ethiopian hospital >16 years. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from leprosy admission registry books on patients with leprosy who were admitted to a referral hospital from September 2000 to September 2016. RESULTS: There were 2129 admissions for leprosy during the study period: 180 (8.4%) patients were s ≤ 18 years old. Of these, 98 (54.4%) were male and 82 (45.6%) were female. The proportion of new diagnoses in children and adolescents was 31.7%, significantly higher than in adults (11.7%; p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in the prevalence of lepromatous ulcers (46.9 vs. 61.7%), leprosy reaction (29.4 vs. 13.0%) and neuritis (16.9 vs.5.3%) between these age groups. CONCLUSIONS: There were more new diagnoses, leprosy reactions and neuritis, and fewer lepromatous ulcers, in children and adolescents compared with adults, with younger patients being referred more frequently to reference centres.