Accuracy of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) in Detecting Antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae in Leprosy Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

IgM against Mycobacterium leprae may be detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) or natural disaccharide octyl bovine serum albumin (ND-O-BSA) as antigens, and the IgG response can be detected by an ELISA based on lipid droplet protein 1 (LID-1). The titers of antibodies against these antigens vary with operational classification. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of ELISAs involving PGL-I and ND-O-BSA with that involving LID-1. We included studies that analyze multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy cases and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ELISAs based on LID-1 and/or PGL-I or ND-O-BSA as antigens to measure antibody titers against M. leprae. Studies were found via PubMed, the Virtual Health Library Regional Portal, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Índice Bibliográfico Espanhol de Ciências de Saúde, the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Cochrane Library, Embase (the Elsevier database), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies served as a methodological validity tool. Quantitative data were extracted using the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy. Sensitivity, specificity, and a diagnostic odds ratio were calculated, and a hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic curve and forest plots were constructed. The protocol register code for this meta-analysis is PROSPERO 2017: CRD42017055983. Nineteen studies were included. ND-O-BSA showed better overall performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio when compared with PGL-I and LID-1. The multibacillary group showed better performance on these parameters (than the paucibacillary group did), at 94%, 99%, 129, 0.05, and 2293, respectively. LID-1 did not provide any advantage regarding the overall estimate of sensitivity in comparison with PGL-I or ND-O-BSA

Leprosy patients quality of life: a scoping review*

Objetivo: Explorar as evidências científicas relativas à qualidade de vida de pacientes com hanseníase. Método: revisão de escopo segundo a metodologia do Instituto Joanna Briggs, com artigos indexados nas bases de dados PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyINFO, INFOLEP e Google Scholar, publicados na íntegra em português, inglês ou espanhol. Resultados: identificaram-se 74 estudos, sendo 71 de abordagem quantitativa e 3 com método misto. Houve predominância de estudos publicados no Brasil (58,1%), com população adulta (97,3%) e recrutada em centros de referência para tratamento de hanseníase (52,7%). Verificou-se maior utilização dos instrumentos WHOQOL-bref (50%) e SF-36 (18,9%) para avaliação da qualidade de vida. O estudo evidenciou que o maior comprometimento da qualidade de vida se relacionou ao atraso no diagnóstico da doença, às reações hansênicas, às incapacidades físicas, à dor neuropática e ao estigma. Conclusão: as pesquisas foram desenvolvidas em sua maioria em países endêmicos, com adultos e a partir de estudos observacionais, sendo que os piores escores obtidos se associaram ao comprometimento do domínio físico.Objetivo: Explotar las evidencias científicas con relación a la calidad de vida de pacientes con lepra. Método: revisión de alcance según la metodología del Instituto Joanna Briggs, con artículos indexados en las bases de datos PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyINFO, INFOLEP y Google Scholar, publicados integralmente en portugués, inglés o español. Resultados: se identificaron 74 estudios, entre los cuales 71 fueron de abordaje cualitativo y 3 con método mixto. Predominaron estudios publicados en Brasil (58,1%), con población adulta (97,3%) y convocada en centros de referencia para tratamiento de lepra (52,7%). Se verificó mayor utilización de los instrumentos WHOQOL-bref (50%) y SF-36 (18,9%) para evaluación de la calidad de vida. El estudio mostró que los factores que más afectaron la calidad de vida fueron el retraso en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad, las reacciones leprosas, las discapacidades físicas, el dolor neuropatico y el estigma. Consideraciones Finales: las investigaciones fueron desarrolladas en gran parte en países endémicos, con adultos y a partir de estudios de observación, por lo que los peores resultados obtenidos se asociaron a las complicaciones del dominio físico.Objective: To explore the scientific evidence regarding the leprosy patients quality of life. Method: Scoping review according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, with articles indexed in PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyINFO, INFOLEP, and Google Scholar databases, published in full in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. Results: Seventy-four studies were identified, with 71 of quantitative approach and 3 with a mixed method. There was a predominance of studies published in Brazil (58.1%), with an adult population, (97.3%) and recruited in reference centers for the treatment of leprosy (52.7%). There was greater use of the WHOQOL-bref (50%) and SF-36 (18.9%) instruments to assess quality of life. The study showed that the greatest impairment in quality of life was related to the delay in the diagnosis of the disease, to leprosy reactions, physical disabilities, neuropathic pain, and stigma. Conclusion: Most studies were developed in endemic countries, with adults, and based on observational studies, and the worst scores obtained were associated with physical domain impairment