Severe forms of neurocysticercosis: treatment with albendazole.
Study of 22 patients with the severe form of neurocysticercosis treated with albendazole (ABZ) administered in 6 different schedules ranging from 15 to 30 mg/kg/day for 21 to 60 days. Dextrochloropheniramine and ketoprofen were the adjuvant drugs. Multiple symptoms were observed in 90.9% of patients. Intracranial hypertension was manifested in 90.9%. Hydrocephaly occurred in 86.4%. Evolution was satisfactory in 10 patients, 8 died and 4 had sequelae. Tomographic studies showed the appearance of an isolated IVth ventricle in 9 patients, after ventriculoperitoneal shunt, before ABZ treatment in 3 of them, during in 5 and after treatment in one. Median clinical follow-up duration was 10 months for the patients who died and 3-4 years for survivors. In 3 patients there was an increase in cyst size during the administration of the 15 mg/kg/day ABZ dose, which was not observed in any patient when the 30 mg/kg/day dose was used.
Agapejev
S
S
Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, State University of São Paulo, UNESP, Brasil.
Da Silva
M D
MD
Ueda
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology*; D002744:Chlorpheniramine; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000871:Anthelmintics; C018904:dexchlorpheniramine; D002744:Chlorpheniramine; D007660:Ketoprofen; D015766:Albendazole