Potencial visual evocado em portadores de hanseníase Visual evoked potential in leprosy patients

• Main Authors: João Lins de Andrade Neto, Ana Paula Cunha, Raquel Barbosa Paes Barreto, Tiago Eugênio Faria de Arantes, Laura Patrícia Ferreira Santos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Conselho Brasileiro de Oftalmologia 2006-08-01
• Series: Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia
• Subjects: Hanseníase; Potenciais evocados visuais; Electrofisiologia; Leprosy; Evoked potentials, visual; Eletrophysiology
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-27492006000400022

OBJETIVO: Investigar as possíveis alterações no potencial visual evocado em portadores de hanseníase. MÉTODOS: Foram realizados exames de potencial visual evocado em 13 portadores de hanseníase, cinco da forma multibacilar e oito da paucibacilar, no momento do diagnóstico da doença. O grupo controle foi formado por 15 indivíduos saudáveis, sem hanseníase. RESULTADOS: Os valores das latências variaram de 102,0 a 120,5 ms, com média 110,1&plusmn;5,7 ms. Na forma multibacilar, os valores variaram de 109,0 a 120,0 ms, média 111,1&plusmn;5,4 ms. Na paucibacilar, de 102,0 a 120,5 ms, com média de 109,5&plusmn;6,1 ms. Os valores das latências foram significantemente maiores nos pacientes com hanseníase (p<0,0001), mesmo se forem comparadas, separadamente, as formas multibacilar e paucibacilar. Não houve, porém, diferença significante quando se compararam os grupos pauci e multibacilar. CONCLUSÃO: Os valores das latências foram significantemente maiores nos pacientes com hanseníase, sendo recomendável a realização de PVE nesses pacientes, como forma de investigar precocemente suas complicações, bem como prevenir seus danos.<br>PURPOSE: To verify the possible alterations in visual evoked potential of leprosy patients. METHODS: Visual evoked potential examinations were performed in 13 Hansen disease patients, 5 of them with the multibacillary form and 8 with the paucibacillary. This was done at the moment of the diagnosis. The control group enrolled 15 health individuals, without Hansen disease. RESULTS: The measurement result varied from 102.0 to 120.5 ms, with a mean of 110.1&plusmn;5.7 ms. In the multibacillary form, the values varied from 109.0 to 120.0 ms, mean 111.1&plusmn;5.4. In the paucibacillary, the values varied from 102.0 to 120.5 ms, with a mean of 109.5&plusmn;6.1 ms. The latency values were significantly greater in Hansen disease patients (p<0.0001), even if multibacillary and paucibacillary forms were compared separately. However, there was no significant difference when the pauci- and multibacillary groups were compared. CONCLUSION: The latency values were significantly greater in leprosy patients. A recommendation can be made for these patients, which is to be submitted to early visual evoked potential as a rule in order to investigate ocular complications, as well as to prevent damages.