Table 1 Results literature search and reasons for final selection
From: Early detection of neuropathy in leprosy: a comparison of five tests for field settings
Included tests | Modality | Reason selected |
NeuroQuick | Cold sensation | Portable, battery-operated |
Neuropad | Sweat function | Easy, direct results, no training |
NC-Stat DPNCheck | Nerve conduction | Portable, battery-operated |
Vibratip | Vibration | Portable, battery-operated |
Thermal Sensibility Tester | Warm sensation | Portable, battery-operated |
Excluded tests | Modality | Reason not selected |
NerveCheck | Warm, cold, pain and vibration sensation | Portable, battery operated, not available at the moment of this study |
Tiptherm | Cold sensation | Weakest performance compared with other tests [19] |
Neurometer | Nerve conduction | Expensive |
Biothesiometer | Vibration | Expensive |
Neurotip | Touch sensation | Low expected sensitivity, comparable to MFT |
Neuropen | Pain sensation | Pain sensation loss is at a later stage than touch sensation loss [16, 40] |
Sudoscan | Sweat function | Expensive |
EzScan | Sweat function | Expensive |
Bumps | Touch sensation | Low sensitivity, comparable to MFT |
LDI-flare | Axon reflex–induced flare after heating skin (Doppler Imager) | Not portable, power needed |
NervePace | Nerve conduction | Assesses motor latencies, while sensory conduction is more often affected in leprosy neuropathy |
Neurosentinel | Nerve conduction | Similar to DPNCheck, only assessed Median nerve, which is less often affected in leprosy neuropathy |
Thermotropic liquid Chrystal strip assessment | Skin temperature | Works when only one body side is affected (needs to be compared with normal side) |