Renal functional status in lepromatous leprosy.

Renal functional status was evaluated in 122 patients with lepromatous leprosy. Renal functions were found to be markedly impaired in patients with erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) in the active or quiescent phases. Although uncomplicated lepromatous leprosy patients did show significant renal impairment as compared to healthy controls, the degree of impairment was less than that of the reactive cases. Diminished endogenous creatinine clearance and proteinuria were the common abnormalities detected. Serum creatinine was significantly increased only in reactive cases. Blood urea was found to be marginally increased in a few patients although not to a statistically significant degree. Renal involvement did not bear any relation to the duration of illness or to the Bacteriological Index.