title: Short course of prednisolone in patients with solitary cysticercus granuloma: a double blind placebo controlled study.
abstract: The study was conducted to confirm the role of a short course of oral corticosteroids in patients with solitary cysticercus granuloma with seizures by a double-blind placebo-controlled study. In an open-label trial we, in past, had demonstrated a beneficial role of prednisolone. A short course of prednisolone helped in early resolution of solitary cysticercus granuloma. In this double-blind placebo-controlled randomized study, 60 patients with new-onset seizures and a single enhancing computed tomography (CT)-detected lesion of cysticercosis were randomly divided in two groups to receive either anti-epileptic monotherapy with prednisolone (n=30) or anti-epileptic monotherapy along with placebo (n=30). The patients received prednisolone, 1mg/kg/day for 10 days, followed by tapering over next 4 days. None of the patients received albendazole therapy. The patients were followed up monthly, at least for 9 months. A repeat CT scan was performed after 6 months. The data were analysed by chi-square test. The majority of patients were young. Simple partial seizure, with or without secondary generalization, was the commonest seizure type encountered. Follow-up CT scans at 6 months demonstrated non-significantly better response for prednisolone treated patients. In prednisolone group the lesion disappeared in 52% of patients and in 48% patients who received placebo. However, a significantly lesser number of prednisolone treated patients (n=12%) than controls (n=48%), had seizure recurrence. Our study suggests that short-term prednisolone therapy may not help in rapid resolution of solitary cysticercus granuloma, however, prednisolone therapy improves seizure-related prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, King George Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar pradesh 226003, India. garg50@yahoo.com
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Potluri
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone