title: Albendazole therapy for neurocysticercosis: a prospective double-blind trial comparing 7 versus 14 days of treatment. Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of two regimens of albendazole therapy for neurocysticercosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients admitted to neurologic wards in Lima, Peru.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients with active neurocysticercosis demonstrated by CT and Western blot (immunoblot).
  
  
  METHODS
  One week (n = 25) versus 2 weeks (n = 25) of albendazole therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Decrease in the number of cysts on CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Effectiveness of albendazole was 78%, with no difference between the groups when compared 3 months after therapy. Complete cure was obtained in only 38% of patients. Patients with more than 20 cysts had poorer responses to therapy. The clinical course and EEG evolution improved in most patients. Side effects were present in 38% of patients, mainly mild, transient gastrointestinal symptoms. Therapy was also associated with exacerbation of neurologic symptoms. Two patients died in the first year after therapy, both because of aggregated infections of ventricle-peritoneal shunts. One-year follow-up CT showed lesions in three of 10 patients presumed to be cured 3 months after therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extension of albendazole therapy for more than 7 days adds no benefits for the patients.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Altamirano
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cuba
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rios-Saavedra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verastegui
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boero
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole