Clinical features and outcomes of patients with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis treated with oral albendazole.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical features, visual function outcomes, and adverse events in patients with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN) treated with high-dose oral albendazole.


METHODS
Interventional case series.


METHODS
Twelve Brazilian patients, aged 7 through 36 years, with active DUSN in the early or late clinical stage, were recruited for this study between 1999 and 2001. A small variant motile worm was found in 4 (33.3%) of these cases. All patients were treated exclusively with high-dose oral albendazole (400 mg/d) for 30 days.


RESULTS
Improvement of visual acuity, visual field, and active ocular inflammatory signs was observed in all patients after 4 weeks of treatment (median follow-up: 3 years). Also, during the first weeks of treatment, evidence of worm inactivation was documented for the four patients with visible worms. No adverse drug side effects were observed in any of our cases during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
High-dose oral albendazole seems to be safe and beneficial for patients with DUSN.
Souza
Eduardo C
EC
Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Av. Angélica 1757 conj. 51, CEP 01227-200 São Paulo, Brazil. ecsoftal@uol.com.br
Casella
Antônio Marcelo B
AM
Nakashima
Yoshitaka
Y
Monteiro
Mário Luiz R
ML
D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012173:Retinitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology
D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole