Hormone profile in leprosy

Hormone profile were carried out in 35 male cases of leprosy. They were divided into tuberculoid leprosy, borderline leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and lepra reaction. Serum testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, Luteinizing hormone, and Oestradiol level were measured in these cases of leprosy. It was observed that serum testosterone were significantly low in lepromatous leprosy (P less than 0.001) and lepra reaction (P less than 0.01). The serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were significantly high in lepromatous leprosy (P less than 0.02) and lepra reaction (P less than 0.05). Serum Oestradiol was raised in approx. 60% cases in borderline leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and lepra reaction.

Auditory brain stem evoked response in normal neonates and infants

Auditory brainstem evoked responses (ABER) were recorded to provide normative data regarding the latency values, brainstem conduction times in term neonates and infants up to 24 months of age. The mean latency for wave I - 1.86 +/- 0.11 m sec, wave III - 5.11 +/- 0.31 m sec, wave V - 7.10 +/- 0.30 m sec progressively decreased at birth to wave I - 1.64 +/- 0.17 m sec, wave III - 4.40 +/- 0.27 m sec, wave V - 6.15 +/- 0.21 m sec at 12 months of age by stimulus strength of 75 decibels at a rate 20 clicks/sec. Interwave conduction times improved to I-III - 2.76 +/- 0.29 m sec, I-V - 4.51 +/- 0.29 m sec, III-V - 1.75 +/- 0.17 m sec at 12 months from I-III - 3.25 +/- 0.26 m sec, I-V - 5.23 +/- 0.23 m sec, III-V - 1.99 +/- 0.35 m sec at birth.

Adreno-cortical function in leprosy

Adreno cortical function was carried out in 43 cases of leprosy. These cases were further divided into tuberculoid, borderline, lepromatous and Lepra reaction. Serum and urinary electrolyte, urinary 17-Ketosteroid and 17-Ketogenic steroid and plasma cortisol levels were measured to assess the adrenocortical status in these different forms of leprosy. It was observed that these parameters were within normal limit in tuberculoid leprosy except low value of urinary 17-Ketogenic steroid. The borderline and Lepromatous leprosy cases revealed low values of urinary sodium, potassium and 17-Ketogenic steroid and high level of serum potassium. However, the cases of lepra reaction revealed low value of serum and urinary sodium and potassium, urinary 17-Ketogenic steroid. The basal plasma cortisol level was high in this group but it was statistically insignificant.