Correlation between oral infections occurrence with the severity and type of erythema nodusum leprosum in multibacilar leprosy patients in the outpatient clinic of Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya from 2017-21

Objective The objective of the study is to determine the correlation between of oral infection occurrence and Erythema Nodusum Leprosum (ENL) severity and type. Methods This retrospective study was carried out using analytical observational research techniques with a retrospective cross-sectional design with samples taken using a consecutive sampling system in multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients with ENL reactions who were also accompanied by oral infections in the Leprosy Division of Dermatovenereology Department, Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya in 2017-2021, using secondary data in the form of medical record data. Results The number of ENL patients with oral infections was 93. The number of male patients was greater than female at 61 (65.6%). Most common oral infection was dental caries with 59 (63.4%) patients. The most common type of ENL was chronic ENL with 50 (53.8%) patients. There was a correlation between dental caries occurrence and chronic ENL (p=0.032, r=0.222) and a correlation between oral gingivitis occurrence with mild ENL (p=0.027, r=0.222). There was a significant correlation between ENL of severity type (p=0.019), regardless of oral infection type, with moderate strength (r=0.243). Conclusion Dental caries is related to ENL type, while gingivitis is related to ENL severity.