An Attempt To Improve Perception of the Temperature Sensation in Hypoaesthetic Areas in Leprosy Patients

Abstract

To prevent deformities in the leprosy patients caused by burns, an attempt has been made to improve perception of the temperature sensation in the hypoaesthetic skin areas. The sensory loss in each lesion was first graded by determining the minimum temperature felt as hot (MTH) at the affected skin area in comparison with the MTH at the corresponding unaffected skin area by meana of a specially designed device named temperature- sensation testing and grading device. An intradermal injection containing 3.2 ug of histamine acid phosphate at the centre of the lesion led to a decrease in the MTH by 3 to goc in 8 out of 12 patients including one who had a complete loss earlier. This decrease in the MTH was maintained for 15 minutes in 6 patients. A repeat study in 10 of these patients gave similar findings. In another 40 patients, a' histamine-DMSO solution prepared by mixing I mg histamine acid phosphate with 1 ml of DMSO applied at the centre of the leprosy lesion led to a decrease in the value of MTH by 1-lfC in 14, including 3 patients who could not perceive even 500C as hot before the application. Fifteen minutes after the application, only 3 of these patients had a decreased value of MTH. Repetition of the experiment in 18 of these patients revealed similar results.