title: A proposal for classification of neurocysticercosis.
abstract: The complicated pathophysiological and immunological changes in the central nervous system of patients with neurocysticercosis produce a variety of signs and symptoms, which complicate the clinical and surgical management of this disease. A complete and objective classification is needed, to improve the medical approach as a whole. We studied 336 patients, in whom we classified neurocysticerosis according to criteria of viability and location of the parasite in the CNS: active form (37.2%) when the cysticercus is alive, transitional form (32.8%) when it is in the degenerative phase, and inactive form (30%) when the parasite is dead. This classification establishes the correlation between the different forms of neurocysticerosis and its clinical manifestations, and can be used for planning therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Cuenca, Ecuador.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Placencia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santillán
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escobar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed