Summary
Thirty patients with leprosy were studied to correlate the presence and the site of ulcers with the neurological status of the plantar surface of the foot, the range of motion of the ankle and the pattern of ground pressure beneath the foot as obtained by a Footprint apparatus. A highly significant association was found between the presence of an ulcer and the ground pressure beneath the foot, between the presence of an ulcer and the degree of sensation to pinprick, and between the latter and the ground pressure beneath the foot. No significant association was found between the range of ankle movement and the presence of an ulcer. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed.
Résumé
Les auteurs ont étudié chez 30 lépreux la corrélation entre la présence et la situation des ulcérations plantaires d'une part et d'autre part l'état neurologique de la plante, le degré de mobilité de la tibio-tarsienne et la répartition de la pression du pied au sol objectivée par les empreintes plantaires. Ils ont mis en évidence une corrélation hautement significative entre la présence d'ulcérations et la pression au sol, ainsi qu'avec l'absence de sensibilité à la piqûre; ces deux facteurs étant également corrélés entre eux. Par contre ils n'ont pas trouvé d'association significative entre la mobilité de la tibio-tarsienne et la présence d'ulcérations. Ils discutent les mécanismes physiopathologiques possibles.
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This study was supported by a grant from the Deutsches Aussätzigen-Hilfswerk.
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Sabato, S., Yosipovitch, Z., Simkin, A. et al. Plantar trophic ulcers in patients with leprosy. International Orthopaedics 6, 203–208 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00267731
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00267731