Association between the Rosén and Lundborg Score and the Screening Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness scale in hand functional evaluation of patients with leprosy diagnosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association of results from the Rosén and Lundborg Score and the screening activity limitation and Safety Awareness scale for the assessment of hand in patients diagnosed with leprosy.

METHOD: An association between the Rosén and Lundborg Score and the Screening Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness scale for hand was evaluated in a cross-section study with 25 people of a mean age of 51 years old (SD 14), undergoing drug treatment for leprosy.

RESULTS: The mean quantitative score in the Screening Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness scale was 27.9 (SD 10.5). Rosén and Lundborg Score for the median nerve were 2.43 (SD 0.38) on the right hand and 2.41 (SD 0.54) on the left hand whilst for the ulnar nerve, the scores observed were 2.33 (SD 0.42) for the right hand and 2.31 (SD 0.61) for the left hand. Significant correlations between the two instruments in assessment of the median and ulnar nerves on both hands were found.

CONCLUSIONS: Due to the association found between the scales, the Rosén and Lundborg Score may be used in assessment of the hand in patients diagnosed with leprosy, as a tool to assist the result evaluation after the drug treatment, surgical treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up in the hand dysfunction in leprosy. Implications for Rehabilitation The leprosy inflammatory neuropathy may cause limitations and disabilities related to hand functions of patients. Instruments with quantitative scores provide a reliable basis for therapeutic intervention prognosis. New evaluation methods promote a better monitoring of treatment and hand function evolution of people with leprosy.